Tapas at Twilight
by Melolabel
Summary: Single mom Bella is frustrated with life.She's lost her job and decides to follow her dream of opening her own restaurant. She has a ton of hurdles to overcome including her noisy upstairs neighbor.Can she find success and love along the way?AH,AU canon
1. Life Goes On

**A/N: So here's the new story! Please note that I have not ever been to Chicago, or it's suburbs, this is my own imagination and a little bit of research. **

**Summary: Bella's just lost her job and decides to follow her dream of opening her own restaurant. She has a ton of hurdles to overcome, one being her noisy upstairs neighbor. Can she find success and maybe a little bit of love along the way? AH, AU, Canon couples.**

**Disclaimer for the whole story:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

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Tapas at Twilight**

**Chapter 1: Life goes on**

I stepped into the cool night air and took a deep breath. I was completely exhausted, but then I always am after a Friday night dinner rush. Chef James had been particularly harsh tonight, more so than usual. He screamed at Tyler because a sprig of parsley was askew, and Felix is lucky he's still alive, though he kind of deserved getting reamed out for wiping his sweaty face with his hand towel. You just don't do that in any kitchen. That was just the first half hour of the night.

I had received many compliments via the wait staff for a new dish I put together. Chef James just looked down his nose at me. He didn't think it was possible that _anyone_ could come up with better dishes than him. I just tried to keep quiet and learn all that I could. Chef James Beaufort was a legend in the restaurant business. I nearly peed my pants when I found out I was hired right out of culinary school. It was the break of a lifetime.

I had heard of his reputation for being a hot head. I thought I could handle it, people get stressed out in the kitchen of a very busy, very expensive restaurant with three Michelin stars. I was beginning to rethink my ability to deal with all of the crap that Beaufort threw in my direction.

I unbuttoned my chef whites as I walked through the back parking lot to my old Chevy. I inserted the key and began to fight with the lock. _I really ought to just leave it unlocked. It's not like someone's gonna steal this old beast._ Left then right, left again and then I turned it in the lock. If it wasn't done just right the key would get stuck. I climbed in and shifted from side to side finally settling into a spot with the least amount of tears in the vinyl upholstery.

I fiddled with the radio settling on a simple classical station and pulled out of the lot. As I came to a stop at a traffic light I rolled my shoulders and closed my eyes for a second. The music was already helping me decompress from my day. I wove my way through the downtown Chicago streets and hopped on the Eisenhower Expressway. It was a forty five minute drive from The Loop to Bloomingdale at what ever you want to call one am, night? morning? unreasonable?

It wasn't such a bad drive at this time of night, at least there weren't very many cars on the road so I could almost go on autopilot. I kind of liked seeing the world around me morph from a concrete jungle to old trees and sprawling suburbia. It helped me shed my stressed out work self and shift back into my normal self.

I pulled into my neighborhood and cringed slightly at the loud chugging my engine made, I just hoped the old thing wouldn't backfire when I parked. I liked this neighborhood because it was quiet and safe and I didn't want the neighbors to start hating me. I certainly didn't want someone calling the police to report gun shots, _again_.

I breathed a sigh of relief when I pulled into the garage and shut off the truck without incident. As I opened the door a loud creak groaned through out the house. I really needed to oil the hinges. I heard footsteps padding slowly toward the living room and quickly shucked off my crocs and dumped my purse on the small table next to the entryway.

"Bella, you home sweetie?" I smiled at my mother's disheveled appearance. It looked like she'd fallen asleep reading one of her romance novels again.

"Yeah mom, I'm home," I whispered.

"How was work?" She always tried to show some interest in what I was doing.

"Work was...ugh."

"That good huh?"

"Chef Beaufort was on one tonight, I'm just lucky he didn't bite my head off. I did get several compliments on that dish I was playing around with the other night, though."

"Oohhh that was a good one. I'm glad hon," as she let out a huge yawn.

"Did you hear from Phil?"

"Yeah, they should be back in town in a couple days."

"Good. So how did everything go at school today?"

"Fine, Mrs. Yates sent home a writing assignment that's due next week. I think Nessie wants you to help her with that."

"Sounds good, I'm working the lunch shift tomorrow so I'll be home before her bedtime."

With another yawn my mother retreated back to her downstairs master bedroom. I don't know what I would do without her. I turned off the lights in the living room and quietly made my way to Renesmee's bedroom. I carefully turned the knob and tiptoed inside.

I had to smile as I looked on my daughter sprawled out on her bed. Her long bronze hair was quickly turning into a tangled mess. She moved around in her sleep almost as much as I did, at least she didn't sleep talk.

I leaned over and gave her a soft kiss on the forehead as I pulled up her comforter. She stirred a little and let out a contented sigh. I backed out and closed the door softly.

As I entered my room I flopped down on the bed eager for sleep, but totally unmotivated to get ready for bed. I laid there for a while and thought about how I ended up here. It was most definitely not where I thought I would be in my early thirties. I closed my eyes and tried to blink away the tears that threatened.

I figured I would be happily married, living in my own house in the 'burbs, two or three kids running to soccer practices, music lessons, and dance classes. But no, I'm a single mom living with my Mother and step Father, working crazy hours to make ends meet, and feeling so alone.

While Nessie was my whole life, and I loved her to death, it was in these quiet moments, when I was by myself that I fully realized how alone I really felt. When Eric died I thought that my whole world had ended, but I've realized that what I really miss the most is having someone there and Nessie needs a father. Eric was such a wonderful father and the perfect husband. Though I don't think I miss him as much as the idea of him. We were married for such a short time we hardly got to know how to live like a family.

Nessie looked more like me, which was good that I wasn't constantly reminded of _him,_ but it made me sad that he was fading from my life more and more.

My life has been missing something, Nessie's life is missing something. I'm just not so sure anymore that what we are missing is Eric. He was my best friend though, and I've really missed having that. Renee is great, but she and Phil are in their own world most of the time, and I just don't have many peers that really understand me. Of course I always have Alice, but I only ever see her at work.

I must have drifted off to sleep because I woke up at four am with my legs still dangling off the edge of the bed and my back was killing me. I slid off the bed and shucked off my clothes, tossing them into the hamper in the corner, threw on my comfy pajama's and climbed under the covers.

I tried my best to put all thoughts of who I used to be and who I wished I was now, out of my mind and catch a couple more hours of sleep, but it was restless at best.

What seemed like minutes later, my alarm was going off. I groaned and flopped my hand onto the snooze bar. I buried my head under the pillow trying to shield my eyes from the morning sun.

I was starting to drift back into dream land when I heard my door opening. Small footsteps padded across the cool wood floor and I felt the other side of my bed dip down. In no time at all the warm little body of my daughter was burrowing into my side. Even though she was almost eleven, she still loved to snuggle on Saturday mornings.

I slipped my arm under her shoulder and tucked her further into my side.

"Morning sweetheart, how are you?"

"Morning mommy. I'm fine, it's seven o'clock now."

"I know honey, I just need a few more minutes, I got home really late last night."

I had to institute the seven o'clock rule when Renesmee was five years old, waking up at six in the morning and jumping on me. I put a digital clock in her bedroom and threatened all of her toys and books if she even thought about coming and waking me up before seven. Now it's more habit than anything else.

"Can we have waffles for breakfast?"

"Hmmmm, I think that can be arranged. Would you like syrup or strawberries and whipped cream?"

She could never decide, especially since I insisted on real, genuine, eight-bucks-a-bottle maple syrup. None of that cheap stuff for our waffles. But this time she chose the strawberries.

"Because they were daddy's favorite," she added. My heart squeezed a little when she mentioned her father.

She was only two when Eric passed away, so she really didn't remember him at all. Just the little stories and things I would tell her from time to time. Like how he loved my special weekend waffles with strawberries and whipped cream.

"Sure thing sweetie. How about you go get some plates and silverware out and I'll be down in a minute."

"Mmkay." She hopped out of the bed and thundered down the stairs. She had never really figured out how to be quiet. She was born with two volumes, loud and louder.

I didn't bother getting dressed, just slipped on my favorite slippers and headed down stairs. Nessie had the table set for three and was just finishing with the last cup.

"Why don't you go clean up your room while I make the waffles, but quiet, I'm not sure if Amma is awake yet." My mother couldn't resign herself to being called Grandma, so Grammy was out too. According to her, she was too young to be a grandma. A compromise was reached when Nessie was learning to talk and the only thing she could say to get Renee's attention was Amma.

"Okay mom." Nessie scurried back upstairs as quietly as was possible for her and began to work on her room, hopefully she didn't just shove it all under her bed.

I quickly got to work in the kitchen throwing the ingredients into the bowl and mixing with ease. My secret was to keep the egg whites out and whip them separately. I folded the whites into the batter which made the waffles super light and fluffy.

As I was alternating between cutting strawberries and checking the waffle iron, my mom came into the kitchen. She was dressed in black yoga pants and a strange Indian style tunic. Her hair was pulled back and she was carrying a long stick of incense. She must be feeling the need to align her Chakras.

"Morning mom, waffles?"

"Sure Bells, I'll have some after my meditation." She went into the small den off of the living room. That was her sanctuary. The walls were covered in all sorts of far eastern decor and she had little Buddha statues all over the place.

I set breakfast on the table and verbally rang the dinner bell. Nessie came running to the table shouting, "oh boy oh boy oh boy, I'm havin' waffles!" My mother was apparently still meditating. So we started with out her.

"Do you have to work today mom?"

"Mmhmm, I have to be in by nine thirty to prep for the lunch service."

"So that means you'll be home early right?"

"Yep, I should be home by seven at the latest. So you and I can work on your writing assignment togther." She grimaced and shoved a huge bite of food into her mouth.

"I wiff Amma hadn't faid anyfing," she tried to speak.

"Manners please, I don't want to see your mashed up food Renesmee."

"Forry," she continued as I help up my hand to stop her.

She swallowed hard and took a big gulp of milk. My mom emerged from her temple and sat down next to her granddaughter. Nessie huffed and said, "you told."

"Yes dear, I did, but only because your mother would be much more help to you than I would, and it's important to do well in your classes."

"But I don't even care about writing, the only classes that are any fun are the music classes." She was whining now, a sound which completely drives me insane.

"Ness, you can't just focus all your energy on music, even though I know you love it, you have to have a well rounded education."

She rolled her eyes at me and finished her food. I picked up the dishes and took them to the sink.

"Why don't you read your book while I get ready."

Nessie rolled her eyes and said, "fine," and walked back into the living room as I turned to go up the stairs. "I should be home by seven tonight okay Mom?"

"That's fine Bella, maybe Nessie and I will go to a movie this afternoon."

"Sounds good, she'd love that."

I walked upstairs to take a shower and to put on my mental armor. I would need it for work today.

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A/N: I know this is starting a little slow, but things will get far more interesting. The ground work must be laid. And please no one grumble about Nessie. She needs to be here. So as usual please REVIEW and let me know what you think. And this really is the tastiest waffle recipe EVAH!**

**Weekend Waffle Recipe**

1 C flour

3 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 Tbsp sugar

3 eggs, separated

1 C milk

4 Tbsp oil

1 tsp vanilla

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Set aside. Beat egg whites until stiff. Add milk and egg yolks to the flour mixture. Stir until smooth. Add oil and vanilla to batter and mix well. Fold egg whites into the batter. Pour batter onto waffle iron. Makes 3 ½ cups of batter.


	2. Hell's Kitchen

**A/N: THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH TO EVERYONE WHO REVIEWED! All of your comments were read and appreciated, more than ghiradelli chocolate brownies! **

**I hope you all tried/liked the waffle recipe! Let me know if you did. **

**Just so's y'all know, my Eric Yorkie IS NOT of Asian decent, like in the movie. And trust me all your questions will be answered in due time. **

**I love hearing your theories, and, no offense, but I love it when they're wrong, because that tells me that I'm not too predictable!**

**Thanks to my Beta, Sweetthunder. She's awesome.**

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Tapas at Twilight**

**Ch. 2: Hell's Kitchen**

After a quick shower, I changed into my work clothes and headed downstairs. Renesmee was wrapped up in a book on the couch and my mom was working on some kind of needlepoint.

"I'm headed out now, Ness, I expect a good report from Amma when I get home okay?"

"K mom, and you'll be home early tonight right?"

"Yes, I promise!" I leaned over and gave her a quick kiss on top of her head.

I made the familiar drive to _Le Provençale _and pulled into my parking spot. It was still fairly early, so I would have plenty of time to do my prep work and get my _mise en place_ set up.

As I walked in to the kitchen, I could hear arguing from Chef Beaufort's office. I spared a quick glance and saw that he was currently yelling at Victoria, the sous chef. She was only one step higher than I was on the culinary totem pole, but I was still her subordinate. And that was only because I had refused _his_ bed.

I shook my head and resigned myself to the fact that this would be another _fun_ day in the kitchen. The walk-in was at least stocked properly, so I grabbed a bin and began filling it with vegetables and other ingredients from the large refrigerator.

Jasper, one of the line cooks came in shortly after I did and began helping me prep.

"How's it goin' Bells?" He kept his eyes focused on the food in front of him.

"Not bad, how are you Jasper?"

"Can't complain," he flashed his brilliant smile and I knew something had to be up.

"And how are _things_?" I nudged his elbow lightly, not wanting to cause a hospital trip.

"_Things? _What things?" I rolled my eyes, because he knew exactly what things I was talking about.

"With Alice? You know _those things_?"

"Ahhh yes, those things, are perfect. I'm glad I finally got up the nerve to finally ask her out."

"Good, it's about time. You know she's been waiting for you since like the first day you started working here."

"I know, it just took me a while to get my head out of my rear."

"Well I hope you washed your hair."

"Hush, woman, chop your veggies."

I loved the playful banter we always shared. He was one of the most easy going cooks I'd ever been around. And it always made me smile when he would call me woman, the hint of his southern roots showing through his more polished exterior.

We worked in silence quickly prepping all of the food on tonight's menu. I was looking forward to serving my special dish. It still wasn't on the menu, but the wait staff was talking it up to the customers.

I heard the door slam on Chef James' office and cringed a bit when Victoria roared. I just kept my head down and tried to look busy. She took every opportunity to lord her position over me, especially when she thought I wasn't working hard enough.

She blew through the doors to the dining area just as Alice was coming into the kitchen. Alice had been a hostess almost as long as I had been at _Le Provençale_. She was tiny, only 4'11", and so full of energy it was contagious. It drove the Maitre d' crazy.

"Hey Bella, _hey _Jazzy," she twiddled her fingers at him in a little wave, my eyebrow shot up in question.

"Jazzy?"

"Hush woman," I just began snickering. "Hey Ali, how are you today?"

"I'm fine, but you should be careful Bella, I have a funny feeling about today."

"You sure about that Alice?" She nodded. Crap. She's only had a few _feelings_ in regards to me, but every time, something has gone horribly wrong.

"I'll be on the look out. Thanks Alice."

"I got your back too Bells," Jasper added.

"Doors open in 30, are you making that salmon dish again Bella?"

"Yeah, everything is all set."

"Oh good, I'll let the wait staff know about it. Good luck guys," she pecked Jasper on the cheek and glided back out to the main dining room.

The kitchen was starting to buzz with activity as other line chefs and prep cooks began some of the more complicated appetizers and other items we'd need.

About 15 minutes before service was to start the Maitre d' pushed through the swinging double door making a grand entrance into the kitchen. He was so pompous.

"Bon Après Midi tout le monde, we 'ave a very busy afternoon, so do not mess up zee food. I do not want to 'ear any more complaints from zee customers because of you people back 'ere. C'est tout." He then turned on his heel and marched back out to his stand at the front door.

I had to roll my eyes. He just thinks he's so much better than us. If we didn't cook the food, he'd be out of a job. How is it that the French can produce such a splendid culinary repertoire and at the same time such a stupid snotty jerk?

The beginning of the lunch service started out fine, but as Laurent had predicted, things started getting crazy around 1 o'clock. Orders were pouring in left and right, many for my special salmon dish. I was heading back to the walk-in to get some more salmon when Victoria crashed into me.

"Stay outta my way Swan," she pushed me up against the wall and kept on walking. I took a deep breath trying to stay composed. She was always baiting me, trying to get me to start an argument or something.

Chef James had stayed holed up in his office for a while but he'd just gone out to shmooze the diners.

I got what I needed and headed back to my station. Jasper and I worked quietly, passing things back and forth as needed. I glanced up as the door to the kitchen opened. That's when all _hell _literally broke loose. Chef James surveyed the kitchen and zeroed in on Tyler.

I followed his gazed and quickly realized what was going to happen. "Idiot," I cursed under my breath. Tyler was chopping vegetables on a red cutting board. Red was for meat only, green for vegetables, and blue for fish. This was basic kitchen operations any kindergartner could understand and this was his second screw up in as many days. Judging by the shade of purple on Beaufort's face, this was not going to be pretty.

"Put zee knife down," hissed Chef James, in a heavy french acccent.

Tyler looked up stupidly and said, "huh?"

I almost smacked my forehead. How thick could he get? Didn't he realize how coveted his job was?

"Put zee damn knife down you fool."

Tyler placed the knife down to the side of his cutting board and as soon as it was out of his hand, James flung the cutting board off the counter, scattering the diced vegetables everywhere.

"WHAT IN ZEE 'ELL DO YOU SINK YOU ARE DOING? ARE YOU TRYING TO GIVE ZEE GUESTS FOOD POISONING?" Chef James' had thrust his face right into Tyler's so that they were nose to nose. Spit was flying everywhere and James looked like he had just run a marathon, he was huffing and puffing so hard.

You see, what made James Beaufort so successful wasn't necessarily his cooking skills. He was an expert at surrounding himself with better chefs and the best staff. He knew that one slip in the kitchen, one case of food poisoning with the wrong customer and the whole restaurant could collapse in days.

He was an expert at organizing and marketing a restaurant. And right now, Tyler was the gravy stain on Chef Beaufort's white linen table cloth. I knew that would not be tolerated. I felt bad for Tyler. He was about to be stripped bare, metaphorically speaking, by Chef James Beaufort in front of everyone.

"Isabella?" My head snapped up in surprise. What did he want me for?

"Viens ici, tout de suite!" I hurried over and stood facing the two men.

"What color board is to be used for vegetables Isabella?" He never took his condescending glare away from Tyler's face. I chanced a glance in between the two men and quietly said, "green".

"And what color is to be used for Meat?"

"Red."

He repeated this same process with 3 other chefs, further humiliating Tyler. I could see the rage bubbling just under the surface of Ty's skin. This was his breaking point.

"Clean up zis mess and start over. And zis time use zee correct cutting board, cretin." James began to retreat to his office and that's when Tyler snapped.

"Who do you think you are Beaufort? God's gift to the kitchen? I know for a fact that Bella can out cook you any day and twice on Sundays."

_No no no no no, don't drag me in to this mess. Stupid Tyler, just shut up._

James spun around and was seething, "iz zat so?"

"Yeah, _zat iz so,_" Tyler retorted, heavily exaggerating the french accent. "You know what, I don't have to take this garbage anymore. Keep your damn cutting boards and shove em'". Tyler then whipped off his apron gathered his knives and stormed out of the kitchen screaming, "I quit! Sayonara psychopath. I'm free!!" Just as the back door shut we could all hear a maniacal laugh and then it was dead silent.

Suddenly everyone was looking at me. Chef James turned to me and with ice dripping in his tone he said the words I was afraid of.

"Isabella, since you are so abundantly qualified, you will take up Tyler's responsabilitées in addition to your own."

Okay, so maybe they weren't the words I was afraid of, I could handle Tyler's stuff.

"_And_ you will stay and work zee dinner shift as well, since we are short staffed, and it's Sunday," he sneered.

And there they were, those were the words. Nessie was going to be so disappointed. And I was pissed as a cat thrown into a bathtub full of water. But I wasn't about to pull a Tyler and lose my job. I needed this gig, I couldn't afford to not work.

Once lunch was over, I took a break and grabbed a bite to eat. I pulled out my cell phone and called home.

"Hello?"

"Hey mom," I said, the depression completely evident in my voice.

"What's up hon? I can tell something's not right."

"Beaufort went nuts on Tyler again and he quit, making stupid comments about how much better I was than James, which then got me stuck with all of his crap to do, plus I have to cover the dinner shift now."

"Oh Bella, Nessie is going to be so disappointed."

"I know, I know," I groaned. This was not the first time I'd had to stand her up because of this job. "Can I talk to her?"

"Yeah, here she is."

"Mom?" I could hear the uncertainty in her voice and it broke my heart.

"Hey baby, how are you? Did you and Amma go to the movies?"

"Yes, we saw the Hannah Montana movie and it was so cool!"

"I'm glad you had fun sweetie. Listen Ness, I know I promised I'd be home, but some crazy stuff has happened here and I have to stay for the next shift. I'm so sorry I can't be there to help you with your project."

I could hear her shallow breaths on the other end of the line and I cursed Chef Beaufort to the fiery pits of Hades.

"I understand mom." She was so sad and it killed me to have to do this to her.

"I'm really sorry Ness, I'll be there tomorrow, I mean that!"

"Sure, sure."

"Love you hon." I tried to make my voice sound a little happier than I was feeling.

"You too. Bye," I heard the click before I had a chance to say my own good bye.

Dinner was in full swing and orders were coming in left and right, most of them for the salmon dish. People couldn't get enough of it.

Jasper was doing his best to help with some of the load left by Tyler and I was hanging on by a thread. I could feel strings of hair getting stuck around my forehead, my feet were aching, and my back was so sore it felt like it would snap in two. In the past few days I'd had a total of 12 hours of sleep and I had been on my feet for almost 40 hours, in 3 DAYS!

One of the waiters came in and stood in front of my station. "Table 36 would like to meet you, they had the Salmon and can't stop talking about it."

"Thanks Brad, I'll be out there in just a moment, I've got one dish to finish plating."

"Okay, I'll let them know."

I quickly finished with the plate of food and set it under the warmer. I washed my hands and took a glance in the mirror. Ugh, I looked like drowned rat. I smoothed my hair and did my best to look presentable. This was the reason I had become a chef. I loved to see people's reactions to the food that I prepared for them. I loved to see how happy it made them. This would carry me to the end of my shift tonight.

As I pushed through the kitchen doors I saw Chef James at table 36. I moved closer in to hear what they were saying. I blanched and saw red.

"_Is this one of your creations Chef Beaufort?"_

"_Why yes, are you enjoying it?"_

"_This is the most delicious salmon I have ever eaten, kudos to you. It is marvelous!"_

"_Why sank you so much, Madame...?_

"_Mrs. Reed."_

"_Well, Madame Reed, Monsieur Reed, I 'ope you continue to enjoy your meal. Sank you for zee compliments."_

I ran back into the kitchen, tears pricking at my eyes, but I would not show that emotion right now. I wanted to tear that pompous jerk to pieces. This was _my_ breaking point. How dare he take credit for my work!

Jasper could tell something was wrong just by looking at my face.

"Bells, what is it?"

"That, that...that stupid _frog_ took credit for my dish."

"Oh no he didn't," Jasper was ready to fight.

Chef James strolled into the kitchen and looked smugly at me. I glared at him, slowly took off my apron, and walked over to where Beaufort was standing. I had no more respect for him. That stupid smug look was about to be wiped right off of his face. I reached the counter next to him and picked up the first thing I could get my hands on. It just so happened to be a large pot of chilled tomato soup.

Alice opened the kitchen door just as I dumped the whole pot over his head. The entire dining room got a good view of the red liquid splashing everywhere. There was about 2 seconds of stunned silence in the busy kitchen, but it felt like an eternity. I turned on my heel, grabbed my knives, and saw Jasper start to move. He too had his knives in hand and when he got to the dessert station, he took a huge handful of whipped cream and smeared that all over James' face and followed me out. Alice was wide eyed and speechless for once.

I marched through the dining room and straight over to table 36. "Mrs. Reed, hello I'm Isabella Swan, and I'm afraid you've been misinformed. I am the chef responsible for the delicious salmon you had tonight. If you'd like to have that and many other dishes just as palate pleasing, keep an ear to the ground. I'll be opening a restaurant of my own soon. I'm so glad you enjoyed the dish."

With that I rose up and tried to put on the most dignified air I could. The entire dining room had grown silent listening carefully to our exchange. When I got to the Maitre d' stand, Laurent was livid mumbling something in French.

I turned back toward the kitchen and James was still spluttering in the doorway being held open by Alice. "Oh and James? I QUIT!" I shouted.

"I second that," echoed Jasper.

"Me three!" said Alice as she let the door slam shut in his face.

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A/N: Let me just say right now. I LOVE FRANCE, and I love the French people. I lived there for a year and a half, so don't yell at me for dissing on the French. **

**This was a really fun chapter to write. I hope you enjoy it too. Leave me a REVIEW and let me know. I love em'!**

**Here's the recipe that I envisioned when I wrote this chapter.**

Johnny Garlic's Cedar Plank Salmon

Recipe courtesy Guy Fieri

4 servings

Ingredients

* 2 tablespoons oil

* 2 jalapenos, cut into rings

* 1 tablespoon garlic, minced

* 1/2 cup white wine

* 3 tablespoons whole-grain mustard

* 1 cup apricot preserves

Directions

4 (4 by 4-inch) pieces parchment paper

* 4 cedar plank pieces, food service quality

* 4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets, skinned and boned

* 2 teaspoons sea salt

* 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

* 4 (3-inch) fresh rosemary sprigs

* 1 lemon, zested

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a small saute pan over medium heat, heat oil. When hot, add jalapenos and saute until caramelized. Add garlic, and before it begins to brown, deglaze with white wine. Next add mustard and apricot preserves and bring to a simmer. Simmer over low heat for 20 minutes and let completely cool.

Place parchment paper on planks, add salmon, lightly salt and pepper, place a rosemary sprig on each fillet, and liberally apply cooled apricot mixture.

Place cedar plank on gas burner. When plank has begun to smoke, place into preheated oven.

Cook salmon until medium-rare; remove from oven and let sit for 2 to 3 minutes until serving. Garnish with lemon zest.


	3. Ingredients

**A/N: Wow guys! Awesome response to the second chapter! Thank you so much for all your reviews! Since I'm feeling generous and slightly inspired, I am posting this earlier than I would have. I hope you all enjoy this chapter. The recipe at the end is also really good!**

**I was surprised that only one person recognized my characterization of James was based on real Chef Gordon Ramsey, who is the star of the TV show Hell's Kitchen. I did see an episode where he really did chew someone out for wiping their sweaty face off with a hand towel.**

**Thanks again to my Beta, Sweetthunder, her birthday is on Saturday so go read her story, it's on my favorites list. And make sure you check out my entry into the Epic T-rated one shot contest, hosted by Daddy's little Cannibal and Bronzehairedgirl620. It's on my profile and is called, The Wrong Flower.**

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Tapas at Twilight**

**Chapter 3: Ingredients**

I burst through the front doors still fuming about what had just happened. I began pacing back and forth sucking in deep breaths. I faintly heard Jasper and Alice behind me congratulating each other.

"Bella that was so awesome, I have never seen anyone put James in his place like that," Jasper clapped me on the back and Alice was nodding in agreement. But the longer I stood outside in front of _Le Provençale_ reality began to set in.

I just quit my job. Not only did I quit my job but I humiliated one of the most famed chefs in the greater Chicago area. What have I done? I started panicking, thinking about how much I needed that job, and how I was never going to get hired by any other restaurant, especially if I made it a habit to dump soup all over the head chef. Not to mention that I'd convinced two other people to quit and follow me out. What could I do for myself, let alone those two?

Alice reached up and began trying to soothe me by rubbing my arm but that only seemed to make things worse.

"Bella, you need to calm down. Breathe slowly, in through the nose, out through the mouth. Use your moms meditation chants or something."

Jasper came to my other side and held my hand reassuring me. I focused on Alice's eyes and willed myself to calm down. I took in one last shuddering breath and blew it out, I was completely defeated. As exhilarating as it was to stick it to James, the weight of the situation landed squarely on my shoulders, and I could feel them slump.

"Ladies, why don't we go to my place and give Bella a little bit of time to collect herself? I'm just a few blocks away."

Jasper led both Alice and I to his car and we took off to his apartment.

When we had settled on his couch I leaned forward on my knees and scrubbed my hands over my face.

How was I going to break this news to my Mom, to Renesmee? Ugh, this was not going to be a good evening.

Alice and Jasper were whispering to themselves, allowing me to wallow in peace on the couch. It was getting close to end of service at _Le Provençale_ and I did not want to run into anyone when I went back to get my car. Alice must have read my mind.

"Bella? How about Jasper and I go back to the restaurant and pick up your truck. We'll be back in 10 okay?

"Oh thank you Alice. I don't think I could bear to go back there."

They must drive like maniacs because they were back in 5 minutes.

"Call me tomorrow Bella, we can do some retail therapy okay?" Alice looked hopeful, and I just didn't have anymore fight in me so I caved.

"Just this once Alice, and I'm not buying more than 1 thing."

"Whatever you say Bella!" She had that 'I really don't mean that' look on her face and I knew I was in for it tomorrow.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I crept in the door and got a drink of water from the kitchen. I heard my mom coming down the hall and tried to put on a happy face.

"Hey Bella, how was the second shift?"

"Fine," I said with my arms crossed. I was rubbing one hand up an down the other arm, a bad habit I always did when I was lying.

"What happened Bella, I know you're feeding me a line."

I plopped myself down on the bar stool in front of the island in the kitchen and began to recount the evenings events. Renee's eyes grew wide at all the right places, but she never interrupted. When I finished she remained quiet for a moment. I was worried I'd get the lecture of the century, even though I'm 33, I still waited for it.

I was shocked when my mother said, "it's about time you put that jerk in his place. I'm proud of you Bells."

"But what do I do now? No one is going to hire me, not after word gets out."

"Good! No one should hire you. You are better than any of them anyways. You should be the one doing the hiring. Do what you said and start your own place. You've been living here, saving every single dime you could, and you still have your inheritance from Charlie and Eric's life insurance don't you?"

"Yeah, but everything I save goes toward Nessie's school tuition, and the inheritance isn't really enough to start a restaurant. I don't know."

She put her arms around me and I was grateful for the support. She was always there for me, no matter how flighty of a mother she was, she was at least my best friend.

"Thanks Mom, for everything."

I turned in for the night, but hardly got a wink of sleep. My brain was on overdrive and I couldn't stop the ideas from swirling around in my head all night long. I awoke the next morning with dark circles under my eyes and a rats nest on top of my head.

I was also blessed with a grumpy daughter who was giving me the silent treatment. Breakfast was a quiet affair and she had still said nothing by the time I was ready to drive her to school.

"Ness, I'm sorry about last night. We're a little bit early for school, would you like me to look over your assignment now?"

"If you want," she shrugged and pulled her folder out handing it to me.

I read through her paper and was pleased at how well she had done.

"Renesmee, this is really well written, I'm proud of you." I guess she had picked up a little more from me than I thought.

She gave a small smile and I could see the walls she had put up start to crumble. "You really think it's good?"

"Yes, I do, I think your teacher will be very pleased!"

"Thanks mom, I'm sorry I was mad at you." She reached over and gave me a hug before jumping out. I waited for her to get inside the building then pulled into the visitor parking lot.

I ran into the office and picked up the forms for need based scholarships. Hopefully she would qualify for one. I would hate to have to pull her out of the performing arts academy because I couldn't afford it. She was just starting to really excel at the piano.

As I was getting back into my truck my cell phone began to ring. I groaned when I saw it was Alice calling. I had kind of hoped she'd forgotten about shopping, but I wasn't that lucky.

We made plans to meet at our spot on The Magnificent Mile. Shopping was a decent distraction from all of my woes, and I stuck to my guns and only bought one dress, something professional looking, I was going to need it either for interviews or meetings. We met Jasper at a café for lunch and I only mildly felt like a loser third wheel.

We ordered our food and I kind of spaced out thinking about the scholarship application and all of the other ideas that had been driving me insane since last night.

"So Bells, were you serious last night? About starting your own place?"

I thought about it for a moment. I had said those words to Mrs. Reed in the heat of the moment, mostly to throw it in James' face, but as I thought about it more, I realized I'd always wanted that. I had always wanted my own restaurant, somewhere I could serve my menu the way I wanted.

I looked up at my friends and sat up a little taller. "You know what? I think I am serious about starting my own restaurant. And you will be my Sous Chef Jasper."

"Really Bella?"

"Absolutely. And I'll need the best front of house manager, so I guess I'll need you too Alice."

She began bouncing in her seat, "Oh Bella, I can just see it now, it's going to be awesome. I can totally envision the whole thing. Will you let me decorate? I know this fabulous store where we can get..."

I held up my hand cutting her off. "Hold your horses there missy, I still need to write up a business plan, get a loan, find a space etc. etc. There's still a lot of work to do before I can get moving on this idea."

"Oh I know Bella, I'm just so excited, I know you can do this! It's totally going to be a success!"

"She's right," said Jasper, "you're going to be great!"

I was glad that Alice and Jasper had faith in me. Now I just needed to find that confident girl that threw a potful of soup on her boss.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The next week I spent every waking moment working on my business plan, financial projections, and proposal so that when I went to the bank, they wouldn't be able to say no to my loan request.

I put on my new dress, gathered up my papers, and headed over to the bank. A statuesque brunette called me to her desk. I reached across the desk and shook hands with the woman.

"Angela Webber, nice to meet you." She was curt and to the point, not rude, just all business. Her hair was pulled back into a tight bun and she wore a severe dark grey pant suit.

"Very nice to meet you Ms. Webber, thank you for taking the time to look over my application."

"Yes, I have your application in front of me, do you have any supporting documents to add to your file?" I passed her my dossier and she began to scan through all of the spreadsheets and other papers. I briefly thought I should have brought a sampler tray, my food really is my best "pitch".

"Hmmmm," she sounded hesitant. That was not a good sound. "Here's the thing Ms. Swan, you just don't have the capital or collateral sufficient enough to grant a 100,000 dollar loan."

She stuck a pencil in her bun and was still looking down at the stack of papers I had handed her.

"But I've run the numbers, the business plan is sound, the risk is minimal, if you'd just..."

She held up her hand and spared me a sympathetic look. "I realize that Ms. Swan, unfortunately, with the economy the way it is, our margins of acceptable risk have narrowed significantly."

She returned to the folder gathering up my documents. When she looked up her gaze seemed to go past me. I turned quickly and noticed a handsome man chatting with another bank employee.

Ms. Webber seemed to zone out completely, all the while staring at this man. I looked back and forth between the two of them. I leaned in a bit closer to Ms. Webber and whispered, "who is he?"

"Huh?" She snapped her attention back to me.

"Who's the hunk in the suit?" I nodded behind me.

"Oh! Well, that's Mr. Cheney, he's the branch manager." She was smoothing her hair and acting like a teenager mooning over her first crush.

"Do you bring your lunch with you?"

"Yes, why?"

"Does he usually stay here to eat?"

"I think so..."

I began to scribble a favorite recipe of mine down on a sheet of paper. I pushed it across the desk and looked at Ms. Webber very seriously.

"Bring two tomorrow and share one with him. He'll be sure to take notice of you then. Trust me."

"Oh...um...I don't know what to say. Thank you. I'm sorry I couldn't do more with your application."

"I understand," I said as I gathered my things together. We both stood and shook hands again. I turned to leave her desk when I had an Alice moment.

"Wear your hair down, I'm sure it's lovely!" She stared at me a bit stunned. I smiled as best as I could given that I'd just been rejected and I turned and headed out.

I waited until I was in my car to break down. I didn't have nearly enough from my inheritance, and the life insurance from Eric's death was barely enough to cover the funeral and remaining hospital bills. Without a loan, my dream was dead in the water. I don't know why I thought I'd get a loan the first time I asked. I know this is going to be hard, I just wish I didn't have to do it alone.

I shook my head as I walked in to my Mother's house. She and Nessie had both turned when I came through the door and it broke my heart to see both their faces fall.

Nessie got up and wrapped her arms around my waist. "Don't worry mom, things will work out."

"I know sweetie, I just wish I knew how."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The next afternoon I was running some errands when I got a call on my phone. I didn't recognize the number but I answered anyway.

"Hello?"

"Ms. Swan?"

"Yes,"

"This is Angela Webber, from First Bank of Chicago, how soon can you meet me in my office ?"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Mom? Nessie? Anybody home?"

"In the kitchen Bells!"

I rushed through the living room and ran into the kitchen. My mom was doing some dishes, Nessie was at the island working on homework, and Phil was stirring something on the stove. When I burst in, all activity stopped and everyone was looking at me.

I braced myself on the counter, placing both hands flat on the granite. I looked around at all three faces, taking a deep breath.

"Well?!?" My mother prodded me.

"We got the loan!"

Nessie jumped off of the stool and began dancing around the kitchen singing, "We got the lo-an, we got the lo-an!"

Phil did a fist pump and gave a "woo-hoo!" and my mother clapped her soapy hands sending little balls of suds all over the place.

"Ooooohh Bella, that is wonderful! What brought about the change? I thought they denied your application?"

"So did I, but I guess if the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, the way to a woman's purse is through a man."

My mother looked at me funny and asked, "what on earth is that supposed to mean?"

"Well, I'm guessing that Ms. Webber prepared the recipe I gave her and followed through with my suggestions and had positive results."

"I still don't get what that means," Phil said. He had been at practices and games most of the week so he was still fairly out of the loop.

I summed up my hypothesis about Ms. Webber's crush on Mr. Cheney, and just what she could do about it.

"I guess he enjoyed lunch with her, and she was so pleased, she decided to approve the loan. Granted, it's not for nearly what I was asking. I wanted 100,000 dollars, but they only approved me for 50,000. It'll be tight, and we're probably going to have to start out in a small space, but at least it's a start right?!"

"I'm so proud of you honey!" My mother threw her arms around me and gave me a big hug.

"Thanks mom. I need to make one more phone call."

I wandered back into the living room while dialing Alice's number.

"Alice? We are in business!"

I'm sure the whole house heard the supersonic squeal.

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A/N: I know you all are DYING for Edward to show up and I promise he will next chapter. I wanted to get him into this one, but it just didn't work out. Promise, hunka' burnin' Edward will arrive next chapter.**

**Here's the recipe Bella gives to Angela– I made this the other night and my oldest son saw the recipe on the computer and asked "Mom? Are you making lemon CRUD?" I had to laugh.**

**Easy Lemon Panna Cotta (Soooo good)**

**Lemon Curd**

* 3 eggs

* 1 cup sugar

* 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

* 1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

* 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel

DIRECTIONS

1. In the top of a double boiler, beat eggs and sugar. Stir in lemon juice, butter and lemon peel. Cook over simmering water for 15 minutes or until thickened.

*Soften One package of Knox Gelatin in a 1/4 C cold water. Add to the lemon curd once it is off the stove. Let the gelatin melt and stir it into the curd.

While the lemon curd cools, whip ½ pint of whipping cream with 1/4 cup of sugar until it's stiff.

When the curd is mostly barely warm, fold in the whipping cream with the curd and pour into cute serving cups. Chill in the fridge for a few hours.

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO yummy!


	4. Add a dash

**A/N: Thanks again for all the reviews and comments on the recipes. I hope you are enjoying them! **

**And super thanks to my beta Sweetthunder who stayed up extra late to make this chapter awesome.**

**

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Tapas at Twilight**

**Chapter 4: Add a dash....**

That Saturday Alice, Jasper, Renesmee and my Mother accompanied me on a whirlwind search for a space to rent. Alice's list of requirements was a mile long. Mine was pretty simple, not too much to renovate, and some place respectable enough to give James a run for his money.

We'd found several locations that were perfect. Too bad they were perfectly out of my price range. After we'd seen all of the spaces on the list, my realtor Giana, pulled me aside and said, "it might be good to look in a little bit different neighborhood. Maybe one that is more up-and-coming, where the rent is low and the night life is infused with a younger crowd and lots of disposable income."

We agreed to meet up on Monday to look at a few more places. On this trip it was just me and Giana, so things went much faster. The first two locations were a total bust, and now here we stood in front of a quirky four story building in one of those up-and-coming neighborhoods.

I shot an incredulous look at Giana. She had to be kidding, she kept using words like 'quaint' and 'cozy'. I learned quickly that those words, along with 'up-and-coming', is just another way to say old and busted.

"So. This restaurant was just closed a few months ago. Furniture and appliances come with the place, so that should save on cost. The owners were never really able to update anything, so just _try_ to see the potential. Imagine what kind of magic Alice can work in there okay? Just keep an open mind." She walked forward and unlocked the front door.

As I walked in my jaw dropped at the state of the place. Tables and chairs were piled on top of each other, dust had accumulated in a fine layer over the black and white checkerboard floor, and we were surrounded by a dismal paisley wallpaper. I walked a bit further in a noticed a giant gaping hole in the wall and ceiling between the dining room and the kitchen. It felt like a health code violation just _standing_ in here.

I rounded on Giana who held up her hands pleading for open-mindedness. I jabbed my pointed finger towards the ceiling silently reiterating my shock.

"If it helps, the fourth floor apartment can be included in the lease deal for an extra $250 a month. I know it's no where near perfect, but this really is a very hot neighborhood, buildings are converting and renovating left and right. In fact a really hip club just opened down the street, this place has major potential Bella. I wouldn't steer you wrong on this one, I know how important it is."

"It's just so much work G, I don't know." I was walking around the dining room making a mental list of all the things I would need to do before this place was even close to ready. The cosmetic stuff Alice could do. Some of the repair work I could ask Jasper for help with. Now the big question was the condition of the kitchen.

I was surprised to find that the appliances weren't completely ancient. I would definitely need to get everything serviced, there might be a few things that needed replacing, but I didn't think it would break the bank.

I knew how much time was involved opening up a restaurant and being able to live here, to have Nessie right here, that would count for a lot. I was determined to make her a part of this, I wouldn't deprive her of my presence anymore. James had already taken too much of my time from her.

I walked back to where Giana was waiting for me. "Okay, let's take a look at the apartment. If I'm going to make this place work, I'd need to be close." It didn't hurt that we were just minutes away from Renesmee's school either. I wouldn't miss the commute from Bloomingdale, but I sure would miss all of the help my mom had given me.

We climbed the stairs to the top floor and Giana opened the door. It took all of 30 seconds to take the grand tour. It had a total of 4 rooms; a bedroom, bathroom, living/dining room, and a teeny tiny kitchen. It was old but at least it was clean, if I had seen so much as a hint of bugs or vermin, I would not even think about considering this place.

But now here I am, sitting on the top stair, mentally running the pros and cons of all of the places we'd looked at. None of the other places had a living space available. Which meant I would need to rent a place and that would be triple or more than this apartment.

Considering how quickly and decisively I had quit my old job, this decision was taking too long. I was over thinking everything just like I always do. It was time to spread my wings. They'd been closed for far too long.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

We piled out of our cars and everyone stood in front of the building wielding various cleaning and painting equipment.

"So how far do we have to walk?" Alice asked looking up and down the street expectantly.

"This is it. We're here!" The idea of this place as my first restaurant had grown on me and I was truly excited. Did I just say _first_? That would imply that I wanted to open more than one. I must be losing my mind.

I pulled the keys out of my pocket and began opening the door. Alice continued to mumble behind me things like, "this is what happens when I don't supervise."

We walked in and it looked even shabbier than I remembered, but this was it, it HAD to work. I took a second to arrange my face into the most positive and excited expression I could and turned to look at my crew. I felt like someone had popped all the balloons at my birthday party. Ness looked doubtful, my mother was concerned, Alice was rolling her eyes and Jasper was running his hand through his hair letting out a low whistle.

"Come on you guys, catch the vision. Once we get this place cleaned up it'll be like a blank canvas. Mom, Esme does freelance drafting doesn't she? We could get the dimensions of the dining room and she could draw up some plans right? She'd give me a discount, I named my first child after her for crying out loud, she owes me." I looked hopefully at my mother. Leave it to her to understand what I needed at that moment.

She wiped the doubt and trepidation from her features and put on her brave face. "Honey, I'm sure Esme would be thrilled to help."

"I suppose once the layer of dust is removed and this awful paisley is gone we can make it work." Alice was starting to feel the vibe.

Jasper wandered back into the dining room, "the kitchen's not half bad, I've seen worse."

"Well, what are we waiting for? This place is a mess," said Ness as she pushed up her sleeves.

We all dug into the various projects and started making some serious headway on the dining room. In one day we'd managed to clean up all of the tables, which were actually a really nice marble top with a black wrought iron pedestal. We'd swept all of the dust away, the wallpaper was coming off, slower than I would've liked, but it was still coming off.

The only downer was when Jasper looked into _the black hole,_ as we'd affectionately named it, and found a steady drip from one of the pipes in the ceiling. Well at least we knew how the hole happened.

"I think there was a list of contractors and handyman companies in the leasing documents. I'll have to call someone out here. But for now guys, I think we've done amazing."

"Why don't we have a mini dinner celebration at my house," said Renee.

"Sounds great, I already have some ideas and things I want to sketch out for Esme." Alice had been bouncing all over the space so quickly I couldn't keep track of her. She hadn't caught the vision, she'd yanked it out of the air, given it a make over, bought it ice cream, and I had little doubt that when she and the vision got home, the vision would be twice as good as it was when she started.

"You guys go ahead, Nessie and I will be right there okay?" We walked out of the restaurant and over to a solid black door.

"Where does this go Mom?" Nessie looked up at me, her eyes filled with curiosity.

"To our new place," I said tentatively.

"Here?!" I hoped she would be as enthusiastic when she saw the apartment. She raced up the stairs and was bouncing on her heels motioning me to hurry up. I opened the door and waited while she raced around the small apartment.

She reappeared in front of me looking a bit unsure. "Mom, where would I sleep? There's only one bedroom."

"You'd get the bedroom sweetheart. I'll have to share the closet, but I'd sleep on the futon."

She still looked doubtful so I decided I'd sweeten the pot. "We'd get to ride the 'L' train to school?"

"Really?!"

"Mmhmm." I ushered my exuberant daughter onto the landing and locked up.

"I love it, I love it, I love it! When can we move in?" I knew the train would tip the scales.

"How fast can you pack?" I threw my arm around her shoulder as we walked down the stairs together.

When we got down to the floor just above the restaurant, the cacophonic crash of a piano reverberated through the walls. Angry scales in a minor key began zooming up and down the keyboard. Renesmee stood there transfixed by the sound.

I tried tugging on her sleeve but she wouldn't budge. As the notes poured out into the small hallway I recognized the music as "The flight of the Bumblebee". Ness leaned over and pulled my ear down to her mouth.

"I wonder if Mr. Simms lives in there," she whispered. Mr. Simms was her piano teacher at school.

"Why would you think Mr. Simms lives there?" I'm sure that old codger was living in a fancier place than this, set for life with his salary from the academy, the tuition there cost an arm and a leg, this place wasn't worth a pinky.

"He says he always plays this when he's feeling tense."

When the final chords rang out Ness began walking down the steps. "That was awesome," she breathed.

I was thinking more along the lines of 'I hope that jerk doesn't go slamming around on his piano when I'm trying to run a hip new restaurant'. I would probably have to go introduce myself and diplomatically suggesting he keep a lid on the noise.

"Come on, everyone is waiting for us at home!"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

When I checked on my daughter the next morning her room was nearly completely disassembled and in boxes. She was more than anxious for our new adventure, and I had to admit that I was too.

We'd found out the night before that Phil was being offered an assistant coaching job for the AAA team in Jacksonville Florida. I guess he'd been on the injured reserve list here in Chicago for too long, and he was no spring chick, so coaching was a good alternative for him.

That meant that they'd be selling the house and moving soon, so the timing of things just seemed to be working out perfectly. Mom told me to take any furniture that I wanted so I had made a list, including Grandma Swan's old upright piano.

After dropping Ness off at school I pulled out my phone and the list of handymen. I started at the top of the list but kept getting shuffled to voice mail. I needed the work done yesterday so I wanted to talk to a live body.

I was again sent to voice mail, but the message was different than your standard greeting. I hadn't paid much attention to the name of the company so I was a little surprised when I heard, "_You've reached the doctor. Sorry I'm out of the office, leave a message and I'd be happy to make a house call."_ The voice was dripping with sensuality and my eyes grew wide thinking I'd called some nasty phone sex number. When I looked down at my list I chuckled.

_**The House Doctor**_

"_**We can heal your home"**_

_**555-4231**_

_**E.C. Construction M.D.**_

I decided to leave a message just because the hook was so inventive. I pulled up to the restaurant and parked my old truck in front and began unloading more cleaning supplies. I ended up having to rent a steaming contraption to get the ancient paisley off the walls. There were so many layers the job was turning into more of an excavation than a simple renovation. Hopefully now, things would go much quicker.

I had just loaded up my arms with a bucket, paint rollers, a mop and a few drop cloths when my phone began to ring. I tried to hurry into the building stubbing my toe in the process and dropping the bucket of cleaners on my foot at the same time. On the third ring I was still cursing my injuries but didn't want to miss the call, in case it was _the doctor_.

Out of breath I mashed the _on_ button on my phone and answered with a huffing, "Hello?"

"Ah, yes is this Ms. Swan?"

"Yes, ow, shoot," I was still trying to shake off my purse which had gotten tangled up in the mop handle. "Yes, this is Ms. Swan."

"Hi, you called about a leak in your ceiling?" It was then that I began to melt at the mere sound of his buttery smooth voice. I began to lose focus for a moment but snapped out of it once my purse hit the floor.

"Yes, are you available to come take a look at that?"

"I do have some time right now, where are you located?"

I gave him the address and started on directions but he stopped me stating that he knew exactly where I was located. I hung up and began sorting through the mess I had made trying to get into the building.

Alice came bouncing in a few minutes after I ended my call.

"The handyman is on his way. Hopefully we can get _the black hole_ taken care of soon."

"Oh good, that really is an eye sore. I see you got the steamer, do you want to steam or scrape?"

Alice had her "work" clothes on, which basically consisted of a designer sweat suit with some silly phrase embroidered on the rear end.

"Nice outfit," I quipped. She poked her tongue out at me and said, "I got one for you too."

"Thanks, but I think I'll just stick to my mom jeans and ripped up t-shirt."

"Bella, you need to throw those high waisted, tapered leg, atrocities in the trash. I can't believe you still have clothing like that."

"What? They're good for painting and doing dirty work like this." I said pointing to all the stuff around us. "I brought lunch, there's some quiche and a spinach salad in the cooler, if you're nice maybe I'll share."

We got to work steaming off the wallpaper and it was coming off much easier than before. I had gotten up on the ladder and was scraping when I heard a strange squishing noise above me. No sooner had I looked up when the drywall from the ceiling gave way and wet muck splashed down all over me.

"Oh my gosh, Bella! Are you okay?"

"Bleeech, ew ew ew ew ew." I was soaked in nasty water and grime from whatever was up in the ceiling. "I'm fine, just completely grossed out."

Once Alice had figured I was fine, she started smiling at me. "Say it Bella," she sing songed.

"Say what? I'm totally fine. I'll just go get myself cleaned up in the bathroom." I took one look at myself in the mirror and turned back to the door. When I opened it Alice stood there with bag in hand and a self-satisfied smirk on her face.

"Can I please have the outfit?" I asked grudgingly.

"Hmmm? What was that Bells?"

"Just give me the stinkin' clothes Alice. Please?" She handed over the bag and I pulled out a bright pink velour track suit with the word "Juicy" on the butt. I did a quick rinse of my hair in the sink and got most of the crud out, pulled on the dry clothing and set to work cleaning up the mess on the floor.

I was on my hands and knees when I heard the front door open. I turned my head backward and nearly passed out. In walked perfection incarnate. He was the stuff naughty dreams were made of.

He wore a pair of snug fitting jeans with a leather tool belt slung around his hips. A thin white t-shirt that showed off every ripple of his abs and sleeves that fit tightly around his muscled biceps. He was peering down at the mess over the top of his old school Ray-Bans. And in the kind of slow motion that doesn't happen in real life, the kind you only see it in the movies, he pulled off his cubs hat and the sunglasses from his face shaking out his coppery brown hair. He semi-squatted down and raised an eyebrow looking directly at me. On my hands and knees. With my "juicy" butt sticking up in the air.

I stood up too quickly and tried to brush my hands off. I tried to be nonchalant. I tried to not faint. Epic fail. He raised up and extended his hand out to me and said, "Hi, I'm Edward, the house doctor."

_Have . Mer-cy ._

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A/N: Who'd like a dash of some of that? Please review, I love reading every single one of them! And now here's your recipe.**

**Quiche Lorraine**

1 9in pastry crust (unbaked-store bought or homemade)

6 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 medium onion, diced

½ C Cheese (swiss/cheddar/mozzarella whatever you like)

5 eggs

1 C milk

1 C sour cream or heavy cream

2 Tlbsp flour

pinch of nutmeg

Salt and Pepper to taste

Unroll the crust into a pie plate. Sautée the onions in a Tblsp of the bacon fat. Line the bottom of the crust with the bacon and onions and sprinkle with half of the cheese. In a bowl beat together the eggs, milk, cream, flour, nutmeg, and S&P. Pour into the pie plate. Sprinkler remainder of cheese on top. Bake 350 until the egg is firm (40-50 minutes)

Make sure the pie crust is on filled just over ½ to 2/3 of the way, it does puff and rise a little.

Option, change the bacon out for some frozen spinach thawed and most of the water squeezed out. Just whisk it into the eggs and voilà, quiche florentine.

**Bonus:**

**Grandma's Hardly Never Fail Pie Crust (1 Crust)**

1/3 + 1 Tblsp Shortening or Butter

1 1/4 C all purpose flour

1 tsp salt

1 Egg, lightly beaten

1 Tblsp white vinegar

6 Tblsp cold water

Use a pastry blender to cut the shortening into the flour and salt. Mix until it's crumbly. Mix the liquid together and add approximately half to the flour mixture. Using a fork mix until it just starts to come together. If it's too dry add a little more egg mixture. Finish with your hands and form the dough into a ball. Don't knead or over work the dough.

On a floured surface roll the dough out to 1/4" thick. Fold gently into fourths and place it in the pie plate. Trim off the excess and use your fingers to pinch/flute/finish the edge. You could also use a fork to press around the edge. (But then it looks like a banquet pot pie)

For quiche, don't bake it. For chilled pies like cream/pudding pies, bake the crust at 425 for 10-12 minutes.


	5. Stir Together

**A/N: Again a wonderful thank you to everyone who is reading and reviewing! Thanks also to Sweetthunder for her great suggestions!**

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Tapas at Twilight**

**Chapter 5: Stir Together**

**Edward POV**

I climbed into my work truck after finishing a quick repair job for Mrs. Shapiro. She was a feisty old widow who enjoyed bending my ear while I fixed little odds and ends for her. I'm sure one day she'll get the gumption to pinch my butt on the way out.

I pulled my phone out to check the messages. I had purposely not answered my phone while I was at Mrs. Shapiro's simply because she would've continued to talk, it would've been rude, and I was done in five minutes anyway. I didn't want to risk losing a potential client because of the chatty old bird, so I hurried myself out of there.

2 new messages. The first was from my father about our tee time, it was so cliché, the surgeon and former ER doctor out on the golf course at the premier suburban country club. A small part of me missed the life of a doctor, I never let myself dwell on that, ever, but I could be sure that my father would have his subtle ways of bringing it up or "encouraging me". The second message was from a woman with a hole in her ceiling. Sounded easy enough and my morning was slow so I called back.

It rang almost 4 times before an out of breath "Hello?" sounded through the phone.

"Ah, yes is this Ms. Swan?"

I stifled my chuckle as I hear a commotion on the other end. "Yes this is Ms. Swan."

"Hi, you called about a leak in your ceiling?" I could still hear faint rustling in the background. If there was a leak she was probably scrambling around trying to contain the situation. Water coming from your ceiling can certainly add stress to anyone's day.

"Yes, are you available to come take a look at that?" She sounded almost desperate, how could I refuse a damsel in distress.

"I do have some time right now, where are you located?"

She rattled off the address and started to give me directions, but the lightbulb went on in my mind. _I guess I'm going to meet my new tenant._ I smiled inwardly this would be an excellent way to survey what she was doing in the commercial space and gauge what kind of renter she'd be. I probably should tell her who I am but there's no law against a little look-see.

The last tenant had been such a disaster, I couldn't wait for their restaurant to tank. The employees were rude, the food tasted like cardboard, and the clientele, what there was of it, seemed to conduct business in an...unsavory manner.

"I know exactly where you are. I'll be there within the hour." I hung up the phone and fired up my truck pulling out into traffic. I didn't know the extent of the leak and I wasn't about to let my project...I mean my building, come to pieces. I gave myself permission to speed a little faster than usual, I was pretty used to getting to emergencies in a hurry.

When I bought the building it was mostly an investment property, but I also wanted a place where I could have more control over the types of people occupying the spaces around me. I was fairly particular so I gave the property management agency a list of criteria that prospective renters had to meet. I went through a management agency simply because I didn't want the hassle of credit checks and all of the legal stuff, and because I liked the anonymity.

I was across town so it took me a good 45 minutes to get over to my building (_but it should've taken over an hour)_. I pulled up behind a rusted red monstrosity and parked. I grabbed my tool belt and fastened it around my waist, pulled a clipboard out and tucked a pencil behind my ear. I glanced in the large picture window and could see that Ms. Swan had already done a fair amount of work cleaning the place up. I was encouraged, maybe she'd be able to keep the place open longer than the last tenant.

I opened the door and walked in. A woman, who I assumed was Ms. Swan, was cleaning up a pile of muck that appeared to have come down from the ceiling. I took notice of her slender arms, clad in a pink running suit, scrubbing at the floor furiously. I smirked at her "Juicy" rear end swaying back and forth as she worked to clean up the mess.

She turned her head toward me and her eyes grew wide. I pulled off my hat and shades and lowered down to take stock of the mess. She nearly launched herself up so I followed her lead and extended my hand.

"Hi, I'm Edward, the house doctor."

She began to reach for my hand but her eyes rolled back into her head and I could see she was going down. I grasped her hand and wrapped my arm around her waist before she could hit the floor. I cradled her head and torso in one arm and knelt down.

"Bella I got some more paper tow...BELLA!" A tiny dark haired woman had come from the kitchen area, and saw that 'Bella', had passed out.

"Oh my gosh! What happened?" the sprite-like woman demanded as she fluttered her hands over 'Bella's' face and arms.

"I have no idea," I responded honestly. "I came in and introduced myself, I'm Edward, the handyman by the way, and she just passed out. I caught her before she fell, so I don't think she's hurt other than she's unconscious."

"Alice," the small woman snipped, "nice to meet you." She began shaking Bella's shoulder and patting her cheeks.

I chanced a glance down at the woman in my arms. Her face was pale, most likely from the fainting, her mahogany hair was tied up in a wet messy bun, her lips were relaxed, but pouty, her face was soft and feminine. She was the most divine looking creature I had ever seen. My gaze began to roam to the gentle curve of her hips when I noticed her eyes began fluttering open.

She took in a deep breath and I asked, "are you alright?" Her eyes shot open and she began to struggle to sit up. I didn't feel like she was ready to get up and for some reason I wasn't ready to let her go. "Whoa, slow down, take a few deep breaths. Please take your time standing up." She was still pale as a ghost but there was a hint of blush on her cheeks. _Delicious._

"Oh my word, I'm so embarrassed. I must have stood up to quickly, I don't know what came over me." She took my offered hand and I helped her to her feet. I wondered if she felt the hum of electricity when our hands met.

"Vasovagal Syncope," I muttered automatically.

"What was that?" She looked at me confusedly.

"Uh nothing, never mind. So why don't we try this again. Hi, I'm Edward, the house doctor. We spoke a little while ago." We were still connected at the hand so I gave it a shake and released my grip. I was looking directly in her eyes, I could usually read people fairly well, and I wanted to be sure her pupils weren't dilated. Her hand lingered in mine as she said, "Bella Swan, it's nice to meet you."

She still looked a bit dazed and I worried that she might have another episode. "Do you want to sit down on a chair or something?" She continued to look at me blankly so I turned to the woman named Alice and raised my shoulders in a silent question.

"Bells, sit down before you pass out again," Alice elbowed Bella in the ribs which seemed to shake her out of the fog she seemed to be in. Alice seemed to be snickering to herself about something. What on earth could she think was so funny when her friend had just passed out?

"OH! Sorry, yeah, I think I will sit down." She dragged a chair from the corner and sat down. Bella looked around a bit and then seemed to snap back to attention, remember the whole point of my being there. She pointed to a large hole in the ceiling. "So there is it, _the black hole_. Care to take a look?"

"Sure thing. Mind if I use your ladder? Saves me a trip out to my truck." I flashed her a smile.

"Yeah, that's fine," she was back to her foggy muddled responses, so I just set myself to work and let her recover from her fainting episode.

**Bella POV**

Could I have acted more the fool? Yes, I probably could have, but when a man as fine as that walks through your door, can you blame me? His rich voice and piercing green eyes had me so befuddled I couldn't even think straight. And that smile, I'll say it again, _have mercy!_ I know he was talking but all I could hear were my own dreamy internal sighs.

Alice bumped into my shoulder hard as she set a bottle of water down in front of me. She sat with her back to the _house doctor_, I mean Edward, I mean the handyman. _GOSH! _She waggled her eyebrows at me and jerked her thumb behind her.

I looked up and was again frozen in my spot watching him reach up into the dark cavity, his shirt riding up, just enough to expose a sliver of perfect pale skin at his waist, I could just barely make out the definition between his hips and abs. _Ungh._ Okay, I needed to distract myself, watching this man was not helping anything. But good heavens it was enjoyable.

"Are you feeling better Bells?" Alice was smirking at me. She knew me well enough to know exactly how I was feeling.

"Fine. I'm fine now. Let's get back to the wall paper, we're almost finished with the one wall. I'd like to get him stripped down by this afternoon."

A sharp cough came from where Edward was working and Alice was giggling.

"I mean I want to get them, the walls, the wallpaper stripped off the walls before we leave tonight. Oh, gahhhh." I glared at Alice who was covering her mouth with her hands. I nudged her and whispered, "dirty girl." She whispered back, "you're the one who said it, I'm not thinking dirty."

We got back to work, but I constantly had one eye on Edward the whole time. He went in and out a few times bringing in tools and lengths of pipe. It was nearing lunch time and Alice and I were taking a break.

I began unpacking the quiche and salad and Alice bounced over to where Edward was measuring some pipe. "Edward would you like to join us for lunch? There's plenty."

He glanced up at Alice and then over to me. I don't know what he saw, but I guess it wasn't very reassuring.

"I don't know, I still have to finish up here and I do have another appointment in an hour..."

I didn't want to come off rude so I mustered all of my courage and spoke out. "We really do have plenty Edward, it wouldn't be an imposition." I tried to make my face inviting and pleasant, instead of embarrassingly overcome by his handsomeness.

He shrugged and came over to the table where I had set out 3 paper plates of food. We dug in and I was pleased to hear a satisfied 'mmmm' coming from Edward.

Suddenly Alice pulled her cell phone out of her pocket. "Oh, it's Jasper, I better take this outside." Funny, I didn't hear it ring. I guess it could've been on vibrate, but knowing Alice, there _was_ no phone call. I glared at her a little as she bounded out the door.

"Wow, this is really good."

"Thanks,"

"No, I mean really good. Even cold, it's really...wow."

"I got the recipe from a good friend, she was actually from France, so it's authentic."

He scarfed the rest down quickly and gulped the water that Alice had given him.

"So do you want the good news or the bad news?" He said eyeing me cautiously.

"Can't there just be good news?" I didn't need bad news. Bad news invariably meant more money out of the budget.

"I wish it was all good, but I'm afraid the pipes are all corroding. See those spots?" He pointed to a few other spots around the room. "All of those spots are probably leaks. Not as bad as the one that caused the hole, but there will most likely be others, and they'll continue to get worse."

"Ugh. So what can I do about that?" This was the part that I didn't want to hear. This is where I hear the cha-ching of money leaving my pocket in large sums.

"Well, the right way would be to replace all of the old steel pipes with copper. That'll run about 15 to 20."

"15 or 20 bucks? Done. When can you start?" It was a lame attempt at a joke.

"That would be 15 to 20 thousand."

"There's no way I can afford that right now. And if I don't get this place opened, there's never going to be a way that I can afford that ever." He nodded his understanding.

"Option 2 would be to repair the obvious leaks and just hope that nothing else major happens, like the mess I walked in on earlier." He was smiling ruefully and I could feel my cheeks flame with the embarrassment of getting caught like that.

"And how much will that run me?"

"I can fix the leaks and the drywall for two thousand." He jotted the summary of the repairs I would need and the cost of materials on an invoice and scrawled _Estimate,_ on the paper. He slid it across the table. As I reached out for it my fingers barely brushed over his. _Hmmmmmm_, there is was again, that same tingly feeling I'd had when he'd helped me up.

His eyes snapped up to mine and he raised his eyebrow. Did he feel it to? I quickly retracted my hand and looked over the invoice. I was in my own world mentally trying to calculate how much I had in the budget to spare. It wasn't much. While I was thinking he slid another invoice towards me.

"This is for the repair to the big leak. The estimate is for all the others plus the drywall and finish work."

I pulled out my wallet and began to write him a check for the work he'd already done. I had a feeling I was going to have to get used to writing large checks for the next little while. "Who do I make the check to?"

"E.C. Construction is fine," he tossed over his shoulder. He was gathering up his tools and I couldn't help but admire the view.

"So, not the House Doctor," I teased.

He grinned and shook his head a little. "That was my father's idea. Kind of a play on words."

"So are you really a doctor?" I asked completely joking.

His face lost all playfulness and he looked sullen, almost blank. "Once upon a time." He picked up his equipment and walked very quickly to the door. I got the sense that that was not a topic open for discussion. He returned and showed me where to sign the second invoice. He pulled a yellow copy off the back and gave it to me.

"Let me know if and when you want the rest of the work done. Feel free to get some other estimates, but I don't think you'll find anyone who can beat my price or my reputation. Have a good day Ms. Swan."

"Please call me Bella. And thank you Edward. I'm glad I won't have to worry about the leak in the black hole anymore."

"You're welcome Bella."

Alice came waltzing back in and quickly surveyed the strange mood in the room. She sent a big smile in Edwards direction, "Isn't Bella just the best chef ever? I wish I could get her to cook me 3 meals a day!" Alice was like a cool breeze on a hot day, just what I needed exactly when I needed it.

Edward nodded, threw his cap and sunglasses back on and said, "Ladies," and then walked out the front door.

Alice and I cleaned up lunch and continued with the chore of removing the wallpaper. It took most of the afternoon. I was surprised she didn't immediately launch into giving me the third degree, though I didn't take it for granted. We worked in a comfortable silence until she took off for a date with Jasper shortly before three. My mom swung by with Nessie after school and came in to help with the work.

Nessie had finished her school assignments and was sitting at a table in the front window while I looked over her work.

I glanced up when I heard a rowdy group of kids running down the sidewalk. I watched as 4 or 5 kids went careening past my storefront. They were almost completely out of sight when one of the boys stopped cold and walked backwards slowly until he was standing in front of the window Ness and I were sitting in.

His longer black hair was pulled back into a low pony tail and his skin was a darker reddish brown. He was cute, probably a year or two older than Ness. He leaned onto the window and cupped his hands around his eyes to get a better view. His face broke out into a wide grin when he spotted Nessie.

I was quietly observing Renesmee's reaction to her new admirer. A bright pink blush crept over her cheeks and she ducked her head a little bit. I wonder where she got that from? She let her long curls partially hide her face. My heart caught a little in my throat. I looked at my sweet little baby, and all of a sudden she wasn't there, in her place was a beautiful young lady. When had that happened?

The boy outside began waving at Nessie, trying to get her to come out. "Do you want to play?" His question was a bit muffled coming through the glass. I looked over and noticed the rest of the pack of children had come back and were waiting on the boy in front of us.

Nessie looked over at me, unsure. "Do you want to play with them?" I asked.

"I don't know," she shrugged.

"Come on!" said the boy outside. I was hoping she would go play with the other kids, it would be good for her to make friends in our new neighborhood, and they seemed like a fun bunch. She shook her head no and the boy looked a little disappointed. "Maybe tomorrow okay?" he shouted. Nessie raised her hand up and gave a little wave.

The smile that lit up that child's face was blinding. It was like looking at the sun. He threw a wave back at Nessie and ran off with the other kids.

I didn't push her. I knew she wasn't very outgoing, yet another trait she picked up from me. I knew though that she'd come into her own soon, hopefully those kids could help her do just that. I'd have to find out a little more about them, where they went to school, meet their parents etc...

When the last strip of wallpaper was removed we gave a cheer. I sunk down onto one of the café chairs and was rubbing my arms. I don't think they'd been this sore since the first week of culinary school when we had to whip egg whites by hand. I thought my arms were going to fall off then, and tonight, I was pretty close to the same feeling.

"Ready to get going?" I asked.

"Yep, can we have pizza for dinner mom?"

"Sure thing hon, how's that for you mom?"

"Oh don't worry about me dear, Phil and I are going to try a new Indian restaurant." That sounded good, but I was too tired to think about going out for dinner. Renee left and I was gathering up my purse and the cooler from lunch, when the strains of the piano could be heard through the ceiling.

I walked over to _the black hole_ and could hear even more clearly. It was a melancholy and haunting melody with a little bit of angry thrown in. Nessie came up next to me and grabbed my hand.

"I wonder why he's sad," she said simply. She was so in tune to the feelings that music invoked.

"I don't know honey," I wrapped my arm around her shoulder, "now how about that pizza? Don't forget your backpack."

She picked up her bag and we locked up the restaurant. As I opened the door to my truck I glanced up at the lit windows of the apartment above the restaurant. The curtain ruffled and then the lights went out. I thought that was a bit strange, but shook it off. It was one of our last nights at my moms house and I was anxious to enjoy it.

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A/N: So there's a little peek into Edward's head. Hope you all liked that. So here's the recipe to a simple yet delicious pizza crust and sauce. Enjoy. As always, please review!**

**Pizza dough (makes 1 large pizza):**

1 package of yeast

1 C hot water

1 tsp sugar

**Mix together

Add:

2 C flour

1 tsp salt

2 Tblsp oil

**Mix it into the yeast mixture adding flour until it just barely sticks. Ball it up and let it rise for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, punch down the dough and shape it on a well floured surface. Top it and bake 425 for 15-20 minutes.

I use my stoneware baking pan, a pizza stone works too.

**Pizza Sauce**

1 can tomato paste

1 Tblsp Italian seasoning

1 tsp garlic powder

2 Tblsp sugar

enough water to make it saucy (varies depending on how thick you like your sauce–1/2 a Cup to 1 Cup)

Mix it all in a sauce pan on medium heat, add enough water to make it a consistency that you like. Cook until it's heated through. Put it on the crust, top with cheese, and your preferred pizza toppings. (whole leaves of fresh sweet basil and slices of fresh mozzarella are tasty)


	6. Double Check the Recipe

**A/N: Thanks again to all those who have reviewed. I hope some of your questions are answered in this chapter and I hope others are raised :D **

**For those of you who haven't yet, check out my profile, I've put a couple of links for this story up, (though you'll have to copy and paste them into a new window cause for some no good reason the hyper link didn't copy over correctly). Let me know what you think of Handyward!**

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Tapas at Twilight**

**Chapter 6: Double check the recipe**

The next week went by in a blur. Nessie and I had packed up all of our belongings and had moved into our new apartment. Once everything was settled, it actually felt like home. While I'd loved staying at my Mom's house, it wasn't home. Here in our little one bedroom place, I felt like I was exactly where I, where we, belonged.

Nessie _loved_ riding the "L" to school and it was a much quicker trip for me. Getting work done on the restaurant was also much more convenient. Painting the walls was done, but I still had to settle the matter of the pipes. I was finally getting to the point where I could slow down enough to hash through my budget and prioritize my tasks.

We had a target opening date 6 weeks away and I was getting more and more nervous that we wouldn't be ready. Esme had sent me the drawings for the interior remodel and I was excited to see that project get underway, it would truly transform this place into something special.

I was on my way downstairs to meet with Jasper and Alice to discuss plans. I had my nose buried in some papers and didn't see the woman until it was too late. I crashed into her but only managed to topple myself over.

I hopped up and made a sincere apology as I gathered up my papers. I stood up and swiped the stray hair from my eyes and beheld a striking woman with long strawberry blonde hair. Her light blue eyes were so clear, it was like looking at the sky on a cloudless day. She looked like a super model, probably the most beautiful women I'd ever seen.

"I'm really so very sorry," I apologized again.

"It's not a problem. No harm, no foul," she flashed a perfect smile and pushed a key into the door. Was she my neighbor? Ness and I had been calling the mystery pianist "he" all this time, was it really "she"?

"Do you live here?" I asked, if she did, I wanted to meet her properly.

"In a manner of speaking, I'm here frequently enough, I might as well." Huh. I wonder what she means by that.

"Oh well in that case, I'm Bella Swan, nice to meet you." I extended my work worn hand and shook her perfectly manicured, very soft I might add, hand.

"I'm Tanya de Luca, it was nice to meet you Bella, if you'll excuse me, I'm running late and just need to grab some fresh clothes."

"Sorry to keep you, have a nice day." Well, I guess whoever lives there has a quasi live in girlfriend.

When I reached the outside Jasper and Alice were waiting for me. Jasper was holding a large basket full of produce and other various food items. He'd been scouting suppliers and other vendors for our pantry. Alice on the other hand had a box full of what I hoped were samples of dishes and linens. I could handle shopping like this, she does the hunting and I do the selecting. It worked out well for me. I in turn had been working on some concepts for the restaurant and a sampling of recipes.

"Hey guys how are you?" I unlocked the door and held it open for both of them and followed the pair to the closest table.

"Sooooo good," said a way too chipper Alice.

"I've got breakfast, so to speak," responded Jasper turning the basket towards me.

"Mmmmm, that all looks fabulous. Let's dig in." Alice pulled out the sample dishes and we each loaded a different style plate, just to see what the shape of the plate did for the presentation of the food.

"Jazz, this is all fabulous, where is this from?" I shoved another bite of food in my mouth and let out a muffled groan.

"Newton hospitality and distribution, they've really stepped up their game in the last year."

"I'll say they have. Last time I sampled from there I was not impressed."

We finished our sampling in a comfortable silence, we were all concentrating on really tasting the food, making sure our ingredients were the best we could get.

"Okay guys so I have a few ideas for the overall concept. My first idea is a nouveau French-American fusion restaurant. Maybe like a french twist on American favorites. The other idea was like an upscale Tapas bar, offering a wide variety of appetizers in entrée sized portions.

"Tapas! Definitely tapas! It's all the rage. Besides who doesn't like tiny food? Everyone likes little round food, bite sized is the way to go."

"I agree Bella, and given the slightly more casual atmosphere you and Alice have designed, I think giving people permission to use their fingers is totally acceptable. It's also pretty hot if you ask me."

Just then Jasper leaned over and picked a raspberry from the basket and gently brought it to Alice's lips. She opened them slowly and allowed him to place the fruit on her tongue before she wrapped her lips closed over his finger, causing his eyes to roll back in his head.

"Focus! C'mon guys, let's stay on task please? I need to call Edward in a little bit to have him look over the plans for the renovations and I still need some help prioritizing the budget."

Jasper cleared his throat as Alice let his finger go with an audible pop. "Sorry Bella, so what's the problem with budget?"

"Well, the pipes for one thing, Edward said to do the job right would run upwards of 20 grand. I just don't have that, it would decimate the bottom line. There wouldn't be enough to do a proper build out inside the space and the appliances we need would have to wait, and there wouldn't be enough in reserve for salaries, crap, which reminds me I need to start looking for a wait staff and get them trained, an..."

"Whooooaaa there Bells, slow down, do you have the leasing documents?"

I rifled through my papers that had been tossed all over the stairwell and found the lease agreement. Jasper scanned through it and started pointing. "No no no, Bella, you don't have to pay for the pipes. Modifying the decor and flow of the space is your responsibility, but all of the systems, electrical, plumbing, etc., is the owner's responsibility."

"Really? But it still needs to get fixed, and fast."

"You should call the management company and tell them to get someone out here. You may even be able to get reimbursed for the last _house call_." Alice began giving me the _wink wink nudge nudge_ treatment.

**EPOV**

"This is the house doctor, Edward speaking," I was trying to squeeze my phone against my shoulder as I turned off the freeway heading towards my next appointment.

"Hey Edward, it's Tanya, did I leave my blue suit at your place?" I thought about it and recalled seeing the dry cleaning bag hanging in my coat closet.

"Yeah, it's in the front closet I think. How are my two favorite rugrats?"

"Rambunctious as ever. They miss you."

"I miss them too, you should bring them over for dinner, tonight if you're free?"

"That sounds wonderful, I'm looking forward to it. _Mwah_."

"Love you T. See you tonight." I clicked my phone off and tossed it on the passenger seat.

I finished the simple gutter repair fairly quickly and decided to head over to the management agency. They had a stack of papers for me to sign and my copies of the lease agreement with my new tenant.

I walked in to the office and cringed when the shrill voice of the receptionist rang through the lobby. "Why Mr. Cullen, how are you today? Would you like any coffee? Can I do _anything_ for you?" The overdone barbie girl had leaned herself over her desk allowing the world a front row seat to her phony cleavage.

"No thank you Lauren, can you just tell Aro I'm here for the documents regarding my property."

"Whatever you like Mr. Cullen," she purred, making my skin crawl.

She buzzed Aro and began typing on her computer all the while loudly smacking a wad of chewing gum. She looked like a cow chewing it's cud.

The office phone rang and she pulled the gum out of her mouth and held it on her index finger. "Volturi Management, how may I help you?"

I tried tuning her irritating voice out thumbing through a 6 month old People magazine until the words "yes Ms. Swan," floated through the lobby. My interest was piqued and I discreetly tried to listen in on the phone call.

"No that wouldn't fall under your responsibility, if you'd like I can put you through to the agent handling that property. Yeah, I know...hold on while I transfer you."

Hmmm I suppose she was calling about the pipes. I felt bad deceiving her, but I didn't want to expose myself as the owner just yet. You could learn so much when people didn't know who you were. Being just the handyman, I wouldn't have known she was renting. For all I knew _she_ could've been the owner. But I did know better and still, I took her check, though I knew I would never cash it.

My father's long time friend walked out of his office and shook my hand. Aro's grip was firm and cool; he was a distinguished gentleman in his 60's but he still had a head full of shoulder length jet black hair slicked back and tucked behind his ears.

"Edward! So good to see you again. Please step into my office, I have all your paperwork on my desk."

Lauren twiddled her fingers at me as I walked past and all I could do was cringe. Aro motioned towards a fine leather chair across from his desk as he sat down in his own chair.

"Well, it appears as though your new tenant is less than happy about the plumbing in the building." _Geez Aro, get to the point why don't you?_

"Yeah, she actually called my business number to have me come look at the leak."

"Ahh so you're aware?"

"Yes, I knew there were some problems, but I wasn't aware of the extent, it's pretty bad. I wish my inspector had caught that when I bought the building."

"It would be nice to have X-ray eyes or be able to see the future now wouldn't it?" He chuckled.

"So why did you charge her the first time you were out?" I explained how I wanted to get an honest impression of my new tenant, no putting on airs or façades in front of the owner. That's what got me into trouble with the last yahoo that rented the space. He seemed to understand where I was coming from.

"I assume then you'll be reimbursing her for your last call?"

"Actually I was wondering if maybe you'd handle that part. She should most definitely get her money back, but I still want to maintain my anonymity as owner. Perhaps you could call and tell her you're sending the contractor chosen by the owner to do the work?"

He eyed me skeptically, "is there something you're not telling me young Edward?" Ahh he was in full father mode now. Ever nosing about in my private life. I think he was almost as disappointed as my Father was when I gave up medicine.

"No, nothing to report Aro, I just want an opportunity to get to know this person without titles and perceived rules of protocol getting in the way." That was plausible enough wasn't it?

Never mind the fact that I'd been thinking about her constantly since she and her daughter moved into the upstairs apartment three days ago. At least I assumed it was her daughter. I was even more intrigued when I caught sight of the piano movers hauling an old upright into the building.

"So she's pretty then?" He was sly, the old dog was trying to pump me for information. No doubt he just wanted to gossip like an old Italian Nona to my Father. I couldn't very well say she's the most beautiful, determined, driven woman, and that I wanted to kiss her cherry red lips senseless. I'd never hear then end of it from my mother if I let that information slip.

"The papers Aro?" I smirked reaching out as he handed me a folder full of copies, "thank you. And thanks for keeping up my ruse."

I strode out of the office completely ignoring Lauren's simpering. I assumed Aro would call Bella and let her know someone was on the way.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I pulled up once again behind the old rusty truck and parked. I hopped out, fastened my tool belt, and grabbed my clipboard. I could see Bella examining different plates and wondered which one she'd choose.

I softly pushed against the door and stepped inside. The place was really shaping up nicely, the deep crimson red paint reminded me of the cherry cobbler Esme used to make on our family camping trips. I was hungry already.

I guess Bella hadn't heard me come in so I piped up with my own opinion. "I like the square one."

"Gahh!" The plate bobbled in her delicate hand and would've shattered had I not caught it just before it hit the floor. "Don't you know it's rude to sneak up on a person like that? I think I had a mini heart attack."

"Don't worry, I know CPR," I winked and gave a little waggle of my eyebrows. _I'd give you mouth to mouth anytime._ _Stop it. Get control of yourself._ "Sorry, you were just concentrating so hard. Sorry. Not my place to say, and I'm sorry I didn't knock first, that was terribly unprofessional of me."

"It's okay, you're forgiven, mostly because you saved the plate. And stop saying sorry." She flashed me a warm smile and I could feel my insides melt just a little. Her humor put me at ease but seemed like it was a mask, like she used humor to deflect anyone from getting too close.

"Thanks, glad I could be of service." I shoved one hand into my pocket and looked more carefully around me. The tables hadn't moved much, but they were all clean, the layout was still bare, just one giant empty room. The old light fixtures still hung from the ceiling and of course the giant hole was just as large as ever. I hadn't noticed it at first but the silence was growing more and more uncomfortable.

"So, Mr. Doctor, what are you doing here?" Her eyes widened like she'd just asked me some completely inappropriate question and she began backtracking. "I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm glad you're here, but I didn't call you, but I was going to because I wanted you to look at the plans for the interior build out, but I hadn't gotten around to it yet so yeah..." she trailed off finally running out of breath I was guessing. I chuckled a bit at her word vomit, which then caused a beautiful rose colored blush to tint her cheeks. How did I get so lucky to have her move into my building?

"The management agency sent me. I didn't realize before that you weren't the owner, which is why I gave you the quote, but I guess the owner wants the work done the right way. So I'm here to get started. Oh and you can probably expect to be reimbursed for my last visit." I felt even more sick with my continued deception, she was going to hate me.

Her eyes grew wide and she became thoughtful. "Oh! Well good. So how long will that take?" I thought about it and technically I could probably have it done in 2 weeks, if I worked steady. But I was selfish and wanted to drag it out as long as possible, if only to spend a little more time around her.

"Probably 4 weeks." I said in my most nonchalant voice.

"FOUR WEEKS?" She shrieked, "that's too long, we're set to open in 6 weeks, that doesn't give us much room for error, especially when taking into account staff training, and previews. I need this place fully functional in 5 weeks, and I KNOW that with projects like this, there is _always something_ that goes wrong. Please?"

She looked so panicked. I hadn't meant to cause her stress, blame it on my own damn selfishness. I raised my hand to rub the back of my neck and continue to play the indifferent contractor role, but really I wanted her to stay, badly. I wanted her to succeed probably as much as she did.

"I guess I can shoot for 3 weeks, I'll do the best I can, and I promise, no foul ups." That seemed to placate her and she blew out a breath. "So the square plates huh?" I smiled my signature smile and nodded my head.

She leaned over the table and scribbled some notes on a sheet of paper and stood up gathering her purse and a few other papers that were strewn about on the table.

"I need to go pick up my daughter from school, I'll be back in 20 minutes, you're okay here right?"

"I've got everything under control, no problem." I watched as she walked out the door, my eyes drawn more specifically to her beautiful backside swaying gently from side to side. She was graceful in her own clumsy way and it was insanely adorable. I wonder if there's anything in the lease agreement about the owner dating the tenant?

_Keep dreaming Cullen, like she's going to want anything to do with you once she finds out you've be lying to her face._ My thoughts were always a constant reminder of everything I had screwed up. I was really good at allowing myself the indulgence of remembering every fault, every bad choice, every mistake, and to run those memories on a loop. My own special form of self-flagellation.

I had moved the tables and chairs away from the spots that I'd be focusing on and began cutting out large sections of damaged drywall. I was measuring a length of pipe when my phone began ringing. I glanced at the ID and answered, "Hello Dad, how was your flight?"

"Good Edward, just fine. I have a surprise though," just then I heard my mother's voice, "Hi dear, how are you?"

"I'm fine Mom, so why did you decide to come with Dad to a boring medical conference?"

"Well, my best friend Renny is moving soon and I wanted to see her before she and her husband leave Chicago, and your father's conference was the perfect excuse."

"Well, then I have a surprise for you too. Tanya and the boys are coming over for dinner, would you like to join us?"

"Yes dear, that would be wonderful, I can't wait to see my two little munchkins."

"Sounds good, we'll see you then around 6?"

"Okay sweetheart, we'll see you then."

I clicked the phone shut just as Bella walked back into the restaurant. Following behind her was a beautiful little girl, probably 9 or 10 years old, long coppery hair, and eyes just like her mother's. Deep brown and so thoughtful, but her face was a different shape, not as heart shaped. I couldn't put my finger on it, just that it was different, _she must get that from her father_.

"Ness this is Edward, he's going to be fixing the pipes, Edward, this is my daughter Nessie."

She promptly stuck her hand out to shake mine and shake she did. She pumped my hand up and down twice and then said, "it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance Mr. Edward." I chuckled at her formality and whispered, "You can just call me Edward." She smiled and looked up at her mother.

"Can I go play with Jake and the gang?" I tried to busy myself with other things but kept one ear on Nessie's conversation with Bella.

"Finish your math and then you can go. I'll be right here if you need help." Nessie rolled her eyes and whined, "Mom, you know you're no good at this kind of math."

"Well, do your best and we'll figure it out together okay?"

"Fine," the young girl grumbled. She was awfully cute when she was grumpy.

I turned back to what I had been trying to measure for the last 20 minutes when Bella asked me to come over to where she had unrolled a set of blue prints.

"So this is what I had in mind for the interior. Take a look and tell me if you think it's something you can handle on top of the pipes."

_Yes, more time to hang around Bella. The heaven's must be smiling down on me._

I leaned on to the table and glanced over the plans. While they were fairly simple, they would do wonders for the ambiance of the restaurant. The handwriting was familiar though. I looked down to the corner and immediately stiffened when I saw the name of the architect. _Esme Cullen_. How did she get involved in this?

Bella must've sensed my change in demeanor. "Is there something wrong with the plans? If you think it's too much, I can find someone else to do it."

"No, no it's fine. Yeah, if I can clear my schedule, I should be able to finish it and the pipes in 3½ weeks." I looked back down to the drawings and felt something brush against my shoulder. Bella had leaned her hands on the table next to me and was looking at the plans as well. Even though I was rusty as all get out, I stretched my fingers open a bit more so that my pinky grazed her hand, trying to get my flirt on. She pulled away from me as though she'd been burned as soon as she noticed the contact. Huh. Maybe she's not all that into me. Why would she be? I'm just the Handyman.

Her face blushed and she took a step back. She opened her mouth and snapped it shut with out making a sound. I could tell she was thinking about something, and it drove me crazy that I couldn't get a good read on her. I was usually so good at figuring people out. Giving up on trying to understand Bella, I stood and rolled up the plans, grabbed my things and started for the door.

"Mom, I don't get this problem, can you come help me?"

Math was my favorite subject in school, and judging by Nessie's earlier complaint, maybe I could be of more help here than Bella could.

"Could I take a look at it Ness?" We both looked up at Bella for approval and she simply nodded.

I walked her through the solution and had her do another just to make sure she understood.

"Thank you very much Mr. Edward." I ruffled her hair and said, "No problem kiddo."

I turned then to Bella and asked, "Is there anything else you need help with?" She was quiet for a moment and then her face flashed with what I could only imagine was frustration.

"Do you think there's anyway to get the person living above the restaurant to not bang quite so loud on the piano during all hours of the night?"

Ha! So they had heard me. I had been a bit more aggressive in my piano venting as of late. I guess I had let my negative thoughts get the better of me.

"Sorry about that, I'll try and keep it down." I winked and made my way to the door.

**

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A/N: So there it is, he outed himself, at least partly, what will Bella's reaction be? And Tanya what? Send me some love cause my AC is broken and it's hot as blazes in my house, because it's like 95 degrees in Las Vegas.**

_**Story time**_**: My sister/beta Sweetthunder was doing a TV internship at a station and they had Carter Oosterhouse on(he's the picture of Handyward). So apparently he was there in part to pitch some kind of new food product and HE's the one who said, "Everyone loves little round food." But I thought it sounded perfect coming from Alice. My sis said that he was not the sharpest knife in the drawer but dang if he isn't nice to look at!**

_**Pop Quiz: **_**Has anyone spotted the Jasper/Alice horse references hearkening to my other story ****A New Frontier****? There have been two so far.**

**So now we're getting into some Tapas recipes, if you have any favorites, send them my way! If you don't know what a tapas is it's basically an appetizer.**

**Mediterranean Tomato Bites**

1 Pkg frozen puff pastry dough, thawed

1 ½ C shredded Gouda cheese

6 plum tomatoes cut into slices

1/4 C pitted ripe olives, coarsely chopped

1 C crumbled feta cheese

Minced fresh basil and oregano

Unfold puff pastry, cut each sheet into 16 squares. Transfer squares to greased baking sheets. Sprinkle with Gouda cheese, top with 1 slice of tomato, olives and, feta cheese.

Bake at 400 degrees for 14-18 minutes or until golden brown; sprinkle with herbs. Serve warm or at room temp.


	7. Something Stinks

**A/N: So for anyone interested the Jasper/Alice Horse references were**

**Ch. 3- Bella says to Alice **_"Hold your horses there missy, I still need to write up a business plan, get a loan, find a space etc. etc."_

**Ch.6- Jasper says to Bella **_"Whooooaaa there Bells, slow down..."_

**Thanks again to all those who have reviewed and those who are reading as well. Also big thanks to my beta Sweetthunder, go check out her story Mike Newton Discovered, she just posted a new chapter.**

**Let me know if you've tried any of the recipes!**

_**

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Tapas at Twilight**_

**Chapter 7: Something stinks**

Previously:

"_Do you think there's anyway to get the person living above the restaurant to not bang quite so loud on the piano during all hours of the night?"_

_Ha! So they had heard me. I had been a bit more aggressive in my piano venting as of late. I guess I had let my negative thoughts get the better of me._

"_Sorry about that, I'll try and keep it down." I winked and made my way to the door._

**BPOV**

He what? I stared, dumbfounded, at his retreating form. "Wait! That's you?" I squeaked pointing my finger toward the ceiling.

He turned and I was nearly knocked off my feet when he unleashed the full force of his dazzling hypnotic smile. "Yeah, that's me, sorry if the music has been bothersome. I think I'm just about out of my angry jag."

Renesmee stood up and walked to my side. She had an expression of complete adoration and awe as she looked up at Edward. "You are totally awesome," she gushed. You would've thought the Jonas Brothers had just walked in.

"Well thank you Ness," he chuckled, "I noticed when you guys moved in that you have a piano too. Do you play or does your mom?" He had squatted down and spoke to my daughter on her level. I don't know if he did it on purpose or if it was just instinctual, but the way he interacted with her was so natural. I'd noticed it too when he helped her with her homework, they both had the same crinkle in their eyebrows when concentrating.

I snapped out of my little daydream to catch the end of Nessie's exchange with Edward.

"...and you could come to the recital if you want, but I'm not sure what I'm going to play yet. I had some ideas, but I don't know."

"Well maybe, if it's okay with your mom, you can come down and I can help you pick out the perfect piece." They looked up at me with hopefulness in both their eyes.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, that would probably be okay." My brain was still trying to wrap around this new bit of information and I couldn't decide if I should be angry, excited, or just stay confused.

"How about tonight? Huh? Huh mom, please?" Nessie was bouncing eagerly on her toes. Edward's smile faltered a bit when she started begging.

"Sorry, Ness, tonight's not going to work, I have some company coming over. But another time, I promise! If you ladies will excuse me, I need to get to my next appointment." Before I had a chance to say another word, he was out the door.

Company tonight. COMPANY! The blonde bombshell Tanya woman. His _girlfriend_, was coming over. Of course she was. She practically lived there. All the funny little flutterings and hopeful feelings that I'd felt earlier dissipated and were replaced with anger.

That jerk! He had totally been flirting with me, the shoulder brush, the pinky finger sneak. He really had me going for a moment. I was almost tempted to let my guard down and maybe see what could have happened. How dare he try to come on to me when he had a Vogue model for a girlfriend? Well he had another thing coming if he thought his million dollar grin could cover up his indiscretion. I didn't have the time or the energy to deal with a dog. Men are completely uncomprehensible.

I was fuming; steam should've been blowing from my ears. Nessie picked that moment to say, "Mom, isn't that so cool that Mr. Edward lives right here in the same building?"

"Yep, just great," I responded through tight lips, "go get your back pack together. I think we'll go to Amma's house for dinner tonight."

"Okay mom."

We gathered our things and ran them upstairs. I had no desire to be here when Edward's _company_ came over. Even though I'd already met her, I didn't need it rubbed in my face.

I couldn't figure out though what bothered me more, the fact that he had a girlfriend, or the fact that he'd been so openly flirtatious with me. Or had I just been imagining his flirtation because he was so handsome, and I haven't been kissed in so long. No. NO. I was not imagining anything, I have more sense than that. _He's just like that all the time, get over yourself._

It took a little longer than usual to get through traffic tonight and we got to my Mom's house around 6:30.

"Bells, Nessie, what a surprise!"

I gave my mom a hug and lugged in a stack of card board boxes that I'd saved from when we moved over to the new apartment.

"Hi Amma, we brought you boxes." Nessie sang cheerfully, she was really going to miss Amma and Phil.

"I see that, and thank you. I'm going to need lots of boxes!" I glanced around and noted that there were boxes stacked in the corner and the bookshelf in the living room had been cleared off. I walked past her meditation room on my way to the kitchen and noted that it too was looking much more sparse.

"Oh Bells, you just missed Esme. She left about an hour before you got here."

"That's too bad, how long is she in town?" I began rummaging through the cabinets looking for dinner ideas.

"She's here through the weekend. I guess Carlisle has a medical conference or something to attend, so she's coming back tomorrow afternoon. Maybe you and Nessie could come over then."

"That sounds good, I want to thank her for the plans. So Mom," I called out from inside the fridge, "did you have a plan for dinner?"

"Those potatoes you sent home with me the other day need to get finished and I was thinking maybe a chicken something?" I found the chicken breasts and the gratin dauphinois that I'd made for her, as well as some fresh asparagus.

I picked up a couple of oranges from the fruit bowl and got to work prepping some dinner.

"Is Phil here tonight?" Renee and Nessie were walking around the corner and into the kitchen holding hands.

"No, this is their last away game before we move." Which meant that she had been packing everything by herself. She looked exhausted so I was glad I could come over and help out with dinner.

I reheated the potatoes in the microwave, not nearly as good as fresh from the oven, but still tasty. I took a big whiff and could tell that the chicken was done sautéeing, the asparagus was steamed to perfection and I was finishing the sauce with a little bit of butter. I held back on the salt though, for my health nut mom. I could always add more later.

I set our plates down and after our weird afternoon I only wanted to think about food. "Bella, I don't know where it came from, Lord knows it wasn't me or Charlie, but you are so talented. Even microwaved leftovers look like they should have their own show when you're through with them!"

"Thanks mom," I said and nodded in gratitude. We tucked in and enjoyed listening to Renesmee tell us all about her day at school.

"And guess what we found out today Amma? The man who's fixing the pipes lives in our building and he helped me with my math homework, and he is the most awesomest piano player ever, and he's really nice and isn't that cool Amma?" My daughter had obviously inherited my propensity toward run-on sentences.

My mother lifted an eyebrow in my direction, "the 'might as well have his own calendar', handyman?"

"I can't believe Alice told you I said that. But yes. He lives in the apartment directly above the restaurant space," I scowled.

"What's that look for?" She was curious, and I didn't blame her, but this wasn't a conversation I wanted to have in front of Nessie.

"I'll explain later, it's nothing really," I said under my breath.

Nessie got up and put on the Disney Channel while Renee and I remained at the table. I peeked in the living room and saw that Nessie was completely engrossed so I launched into all the sordid details of my encounter with Tanya, how Edward had been so flirtatious, and how he was about to just drop the bomb that he lived in the building and then leave.

"Maybe it's not what it seems hon. Maybe she's just a friend?"

"Oh, right mom, a friend who's beyond gorgeous, leaves clothes in his closets, and admits to practically living there. Sure, she's just a friend. I just never thought I would have to be dealing with all of this lame flirting high school dating drama again."

"Bella, that never stops. Phil flirts with me all the time and I love it. And, you never know sweetie, don't jump to conclusions. Who would've ever expected me to fall in love with a baseball player?" She raised her shoulders and set down her drink and hugged me. "Come on, help me get some stuff packed up."

We spent the next several hours packing boxes and discussing the rentals they were considering. Phil wanted to make sure he was a good fit for the team before they committed to buying anything.

It was almost 10 o'clock by the time we got home. I had hoped that would be late enough to avoid hearing anything I didn't want to hear from Edward's apartment, but luck was not on my side.

I was trying to juggle my purse and Nessie's back pack, and a box of stuff from my Mom's all the while helping lug the sleepy girl up the stairs. As we were passing in front of his door I could hear jovial laughter floating through the landing. "_Oh Edward, that is so sweet of you!"_ Yep, Miss Vogue was still there and seemed to be enjoying herself thoroughly. I wonder if he gave her something really nice.

_Why do I care? He's not mine, never has been. Maybe I should just bust in there and tell her how he's been flirting with me all afternoon._ Firstly, I didn't have the guts to do that, and secondly, I was lugging 70 pounds of dead weight. Besides she'd probably just laugh in my face. I sighed and readjusted Renesmee on my hip and continued the climb up to the top floor.

I deposited Nessie into bed, collected my pajamas, and headed back out to the livingroom. Once I had the futon slid out and my bedding unrolled, I stretched out and tried to get some sleep but my mind wouldn't shut down. I had a feeling I was going to be quite exhausted tomorrow.

**EPOV**

I had counted on surprise, but I didn't think Bella's reaction would be quite so amusing. She was completely speechless, and the look on her face was priceless. Nessie's reaction was equally adorable. At least she appreciated my piano playing.

She was smart too, just like her mom. I had always enjoyed children, even more so when Tanya had Alec and Jane. They were the best kids, if a little sassy every now and then, but from the time they were babies, I just loved holding them and being around them. But there was never a sense of ease with them. Helping Ness with her homework felt natural; it felt like something I had been doing forever.

I finished up my afternoon a little early so I'd have enough time to get ready for my guests tonight. I was bummed that I had to turn down Nessie's request to work on piano stuff tonight, but with Tanya and the kids coming, and my folks, there just wasn't going to be time.

I was putting the finishing touches on dinner when the door burst open and two sets of feet came pounding into the kitchen. "EDDIE!!!" I was tackled from two sides by Alec and Jane. They wrapped their arms around my waist and began jumping up and down.

"Hey guys! It's been forever, I've missed you two." I kissed them each on the forehead and made my way over to Tanya. She handed me a bottle of wine and kissed my cheek. The kids ran into the living room and fired up the wii right away.

"How are you Edward?" I looked at her and smiled, a real genuine smile, something that had been a bit scarce in my repertoire of expressions for the last several years.

"I'm really good Tanya." She tilted her head to the side and eyed me suspiciously.

"You're telling the truth. What's going on Edward? Have you met someone?" Was I really that transparent or was it because she could always read me like a book? The smile I was trying to keep under wraps broke through and I shrugged my shoulders in nodded slightly.

"You can't say anything to Carlisle and Esme okay? Mom would just blow everything out of proportion."

Tanya folded her arms across her chest and considered my statement. "Tell me about her, and maybe I'll keep your secret."

"She's beautiful T, long brown hair, gorgeous eyes, smart, adorably clumsy. I don't know, I just felt this instantaneous spark the first time I saw her. She's perfect and her daughter is so sweet." I chuckled to myself remembering the first time I saw her, scrubbing the floor with her _juicy_ butt up in the air.

"How old is her daughter? Is she divorced?" She seemed genuinely interested.

"Ness is maybe a year older than Alec and Jane. As for her status, she doesn't wear a ring, but I really don't know much about her situation other than that. At least I don't think she's attached, I'm pretty sure it's just the two of them. They live in the upstairs apartment." I hadn't even considered the possibility that she wasn't single.

"Oh! I met her this morning when I came to pick up my suit. She does seem like a nice gal, scatterbrained, but nice."

"You met her?"

"Yeah, she kind of bumped into me and her papers went flying everywhere." She paused and sized me up again. "Alright Cullen, I'll keep your secret for now, but Esme isn't blind. Either you're going to have to put on one heck of a performance and keep up your brooding act, or you're going to have to come clean. She's going to see the difference in you."

She was right. Esme would notice if I kept up this mooning around. The sharp knock brought me out of my thoughts and I opened the door for my parents, right on time.

"Edward!" My mother engulfed me in a tight hug. It had been months since the last time I'd seen her. I was glad she'd made this trip with my father.

"How are you son?" my father asked as he hugged me as well.

"I'm good Dad. Did you get settled in the hotel okay?" We walked back into the living room where Tanya was waiting with Alec and Jane. I heard my mother squeal, "Tanya! It is so good to see you dear!"

"Hello Aunt Esme! Uncle Carlisle!" She hugged them both and they all began chatting.

"Alec, Jane," I called, "will you help me set the table, dinner is almost ready." They came running in and I handed them plates and utensils reminding them to be extra careful. Tanya and my parents came into the dining room not long after that.

We sat down and enjoyed dinner together, my father talked about his conference, Tanya spoke of her job and all that was going on with that. My mother asked, "when does Demetri get home?"

Tanya sighed, she had endured many a night without her husband. Demetri de Luca was the manager for the State side operations of DeLuca Imports, which was based in Italy, so he was frequently traveling. "He gets home tomorrow, it's been almost 3 weeks this trip. I can't wait for him to be home. Hopefully he won't have to travel for another 4 or 5 months."

We finished up our food and the kids returned to their game, Tanya was clearing plates off the table and my father had settled into one of the arm chairs watching Alec and Jane. My mother was wandering around the apartment , probably making sure that I'd followed the plans she'd drawn.

When I bought this building I decided that I wanted to convert the first two floors of apartments into one large two story apartment, and leave the top one as a rental unit. She had walked up the stairs and was wandering through the bedrooms. I hoped she'd be happy with the little changes I had made.

I was helping dry the dishes when I heard her call my name. I followed the sound of her voice up to the loft where I had my desk and all of my work stuff.

She was bent over the plans for Bella's restaurant and looked up at me with a quizzical expression. "Edward, where did you get these plans?"

"Yeah, I meant to ask you about that mom. How do you know Bella Swan?"

"Well, she's my best friend Renny's daughter. I did her a favor and drew up plans for a restaurant she's opening."

"Do you know where she's opening the restaurant?"

"Not specifically, how do _YOU_ know Bella?"

"She hired me to fix the pipes in her new restaurant space, _downstairs_. And she just gave me these today." I pointed to the plans on the desk.

"Oh my. Well this is interesting. Huh. my son the Dartmouth plumber." I folded my arms and gave a smirk.

"What can I say? She picked the best."

"Well, does she know you're my son?"

"No, I don't think she knows my last name yet. She also doesn't know that I own the building. And I want it to stay like that." Esme gave me her serious 'I'm not taking any of your crap' look.

"Why Edward? Does she know you live here too?"

"Yeah, that came up earlier today. She was a bit shocked. Probably because she lives here too. She's renting the top floor apartment."

"I can't believe how this has gotten all mixed up. Edward, I won't lie to her or Renee. If they ask anything I'm telling the truth."

"I understand mom." We started walking back downstairs to the livingroom and a thought occurred to me, "how come I've never met Bella growing up?"

We'd almost reached the main floor of the apartment and my mother shrugged. "Renee and I were very close when we lived in Forks. Then she divorced Charlie and moved away taking Bella with her. By the time we adopted you our lives had just drifted apart. I married a doctor and she was meditating and tree hugging." Esme looked a little nostalgic thinking about her quirky friend. "We've just kept in touch through Christmas cards and email and things like that. I hadn't seen her in years until this afternoon."

We heard a burst of laughter coming from the living room and saw that Carlisle had joined the kids and he and Alec were wii boxing each other. Tanya laughed wholeheartedly when Alec knocked out Carlisle's character.

A thought came to me, "Hey T, why don't I take the kids on Saturday, give you and Demetri some quality time together."

"Oh Edward, that is so sweet of you!"

"Hey guys, you want to stay over Saturday night?" I was ruffling the twins hair as I asked.

"Yeah!" they both cried enthusiastically.

"Well I guess that's settled." I chuckled at their excitement. It really had been too long since I'd spent any quality "uncle"time with them, even though I was technically what? a second cousin?

Plans were made and Tanya gathered up her kids. Esme and Carlisle hugged them all goodbye and they headed out the door. My folks gathered up their things and made their way out as well. My Father was on his way down the stairs when my Mother turned around and said, "You know Edward, sometimes the hardest part of healing is letting go of the pain. If you have found something or someone who helps you to put the past behind you, I think you shouldn't let that go. Treat it like it something special." She reached up on her tip toes and kissed my forehead like when I was a little boy and gave my hand a squeeze. How did she always know?

She left it at that and turned back down to meet my Father. I closed my door and headed up stairs. It was late and I had a lot of work to do tomorrow, but even more thinking to do tonight. I laid in bed and stared up at the ceiling. I couldn't help the smile that spread when I thought of Bella doing the same thing right above me. I was going to have to dust off my flirting skills and make my intentions known.

**

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A/N: So the Tanya question was answered, but Bella still doesn't know. Keep them reviews coming, I love hearing what you guys think!**

Seared Orange Chicken

4 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2-3 cloves fresh minced garlic

3-4 Tblsp Olive Oil

½ C chicken broth

2 Oranges

2 Tblsp butter (NO margarine)

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Zest 1 orange, then take a knife and slice the bottom and top of the orange off. Use the knife to peel the orange and expose the "meat". Take the knife and cut out the sections of Orange for garnish. (I think it's called "supreming" an orange, you can find a video on youtube. Just search for "how to supreme an orange") Squeeze any remaining juice and from the supremed orange, and juice the second orange.

Heat a pan and sautee the chicken in the olive oil until cooked through. Make sure to use high enough heat to get a good crust on the chicken but not burn it. You want the chicken cooked all the way through. Once t he chicken is cooked, remove from the pan, turn the heat up to high. Use the chicken broth to deglaze the pan. Scrape all the tasty bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the orange juice and let it reduce a little. Taste it and see if you need to add salt or pepper. Run the sauce through a strainer and return to a pan. Heat it back up and add the butter to make it rich and shiny.

Gratin Dauphinois

* 2 1/2 pounds Yukon gold or all-purpose potatoes

* 3 cups half-and-half

* 1 large onion cut in half and sliced

* 2 Tblsp Butter

* 2 cups shredded Gruyère cheese, about 8 ounces

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Peel potatoes. Slice potatoes very thin with a sharp knife and put them in a medium pot with half-and-half, 2 teaspoons salt, and freshly ground white pepper. Stir well and simmer the potatoes for 15 minutes, or until they are just beginning to soften.

Mean while Sautee the onions in the butter until just soft. Add to the potatoes.

Transfer potatoes and half-and-half mixture to a shallow medium casserole. The liquid should come just to the tops of the potatoes. Cover evenly with the shredded cheese. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until potatoes are tender and cheese is golden brown.


	8. A Sticky Mess

**A/N: Thanks to all of your wonderful reviews! Sorry this is coming out a little late, but I was celebrating my 10 yr anniversary, so now that I have a little down time, I can post again! Thanks everyone!**

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Tapas at Twilight

**Chapter 8: A sticky mess**

**EPOV**

I woke up the next morning refreshed and for once, looking forward to the day. I dressed in my usual work attire, grabbed a bite to eat and headed to the building supply store. I picked up everything I had on my project list and returned to the restaurant. When I entered, Bella was already there.

She looked even more beautiful than I had let myself realize. She wore a pair of fitted jeans and a cream colored wrap around shirt. Her hair was flowing freely down her back and as she turned to look at me her eyes were alight with fire. She had been smiling to herself but when her eyes met mine they darkened and a small frown tugged at her lips.

"Well, hello _neighbor_," she spat the last word with such acidity I could feel the burn.

"I'm fine, neighbor, how are you?" I tried to deflect her venom by flashing my best smile her way. I figured maybe I could kill her bad mood with kindness. She narrowed her eyes at me and shook her head a little.

"I have some errands to run, do you have everything you need here?"

"Yeah, I'm all set, I picked up most of the supplies that I would need, I just need to unload them from my truck. Would you mind holding the door for me?" I tried my best to not let her sour mood affect mine. I was really trying to follow my mother's advice and nurture these unfamiliar feelings I'd been having towards Bella.

"Yeah, that's fine. I just need to get going."

"I'll hurry, I don't want to keep you,"I was lying though. I wanted very much to keep her and I was more than a little bit disappointed that she wouldn't be around much today.

True to my word, I quickly unloaded the copper piping and drywall that I'd need to repair the water lines and ceiling. I then hauled in the lumber for the dividing walls and bead-board trim. Bella had to special order the new light fixtures so I'd have to wait on those. I had started to work up a little sweat with all my trips back and forth.

When I finished the last load I pulled out a bandana from my pocket and wiped the sweat from my brow. Bella reached over and handed me a bottle of water which I took graciously.

"Thanks," I said breathlessly as I chugged half the bottle in one gulp.

"No problem. I'll just be going now." She was curt and to the point. I couldn't help but wonder what had put her in such a foul mood. Bella had always seemed to be in such high spirits all the time. It seemed like I couldn't even get a blush out of her.

She turned and walked out the door and I surveyed the piles of materials I had made. I was still hot and sweaty and my t-shirt was clinging uncomfortably, so I decided to pull it off and let it dry out a bit on one of the chairs.

I climbed up the ladder and got to work on the pipes in the big hole, which was easiest to get to. I heard a gasp and turned to see Bella staring at me, her eyes popped out and her mouth slightly agape. I waited for her to speak but she seemed incapable.

"Did you forget something?" I turned my body slightly so that my forearm was resting on the top of the ladder and my other hand resting on my hip.

"Uh...yeah...um...key," she shook her head and broke her trance. "I forgot to give you a key just in case you need to go anywhere you can lock up. I probably won't be back until much later this afternoon."

"Oh okay," I hopped down off the ladder and walked slowly over to where she was rooted to the ground. I held out my hand waiting for the key. Standing this close to her I could smell vanilla, and cinnamon, and strawberries. When she didn't move I took her hand and slowly wrapped my fingers around hers and the key and gently pried it out of her grasp.

"I'll make sure to lock up when I'm done here," I said softly. I leaned in closely and inhaled her delicious scent, "thanks Bella," I breathed.

"Uh huh." I tucked the key into my pocket and turned away from her. When I'd climbed the ladder I checked to see if she was still there but she had bolted.

I sighed and got back to work, all the while trying to hold on to her scent. She always smelled so comforting but sensual at the same time. _That was smooth, wasn't it? Maybe I just came off as totally lame. She probably thinks I'm an idiot._ Maybe I wouldn't get to spend much time with Bella after all.

**BPOV**

I ran out of the restaurant as fast as I could without tripping. It's like he cast a stupefying spell on me every time he pulled that killer smile. I was rendered immobile. I had just wanted to give him a spare key and there he is in all his half-naked glory.

And all it did was remind me of how long it had been since I'd seen a half-naked man, and wow, he was a really nice half-naked man to look at. _Stop it! _I chided myself for thinking of him like that, knowing that he had a gorgeous woman by his side.

It was like sitting in a restaurant and the person at the table next to you has the most delicious piece of cheesecake ever, but it's hers. You'd like to tackle the unappreciative woman and steal the delectable dessert, but that would only get you in a heap of trouble. Instead you drool and covet the cheesecake and when you try to order your own, they've run out.

My mouth was watering by the time I'd finished my silent comparison of Edward to a creamy smooth piece of cheesecake. I tried to shake some sense into my head but I was still thoroughly flustered by the whole scene. I still had to pick up Alice, order all of the table service wear and other paraphernalia. Besides, it's not like it matters much anyway. Plain Jane's like me don't 'get the guy'. This isn't one of Renee's romance novels where the hunky hero swoops in a saves the damsel in distress. I'm a strong, independent woman. I don't need the hero, but I sure wouldn't mind the hunk.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

So here we were arguing over the shape of salt and pepper shakers.

"Does it really matter that much Alice?"

"Absolutely. Every part of your table presentation says something about your restaurant. You don't want to look like every mom and pop pizza shop do you? We have to go a little high end on the table ware so when people come in they immediately know they're someplace special." Suck it up and pay the extra 20 cents." The more expensive ones were a little cuter, but I was still trying to keep up with my shoestring budget.

"Fine Alice, we'll get the square ones. They go with the plates."

"I knew you'd see it my way." She smiled widely and started placing 3 dozen sets of shakers in my cart. We'd already placed the order for the dishes and silverware, that would all be delivered in a weeks time. As we turned the corner of the aisle my cart collided with someone coming the opposite way.

"Hey! Watch where you're going you moron!" I knew the voice before I even had a chance to look up.

"Why hello Victoria. Small world isn't it?" My voice was icy. I hadn't had to deal with anyone from Le Provençale since I had walked out. She looked me up and down and then scanned the items in my cart.

"Looks like someone has been busy, or perhaps you just have a fetish for salt and pepper shakers. Bella you don't really think you can succeed do you? Nobody wants to come to a restaurant opened by a nobody from nowhere. You don't think anyone will even care about a pathetic little restaurant in a bad part of town do you?" She turned her cart, pushed past us and tossed over her shoulder, "if you do, you're a bigger fool than I thought."

I shot daggers in her direction, sent her the stink eye, and every other non verbal curse I could think of. She was such a horrible woman. Where did she get off trying to make me feel inferior? I was going to make this work. I would be a success, and no one, especially not the likes of Victoria was going to make me believe otherwise.

"Who put her panties in a twist?" muttered Alice.

"Maybe James has found a new pet and poor little Vicky is finally feeling like the hag that she is."

Alice stuck her tongue out in the direction that Victoria had walked away to, as we started unloading our cart onto the belt.

By the time we'd finished it was time to pick up Nessie from school. I was also anxious to get to my Mom's house so I could see Esme.

We pulled into the drive way and piled out of my truck. Nessie burst through the door and started calling for her Amma.

"We're in the kitchen, come on back!" My mom shouted from the rear of the house.

Mom was leaning with her back against the sink and Esme was sitting at the breakfast bar sipping on a tall glass of lemon water. Seeing that Amma was not alone, Nessie reined in her exuberance and stuck closer to my side. I had shown her pictures and told her all about Esme, but her shy streak was still coming out a little.

"Renesmee, this is Esme, she is the other half of your name." She looked up meekly at Esme, who just held her arms out wide.

"It is so good to finally meet you all grown up. I saw you once when you were a tiny little baby, but it's been much too long; my how you are a beautiful young woman!"

Nessie beamed at the compliments Esme was heaping on her. But it was all true, she really was a beautiful young lady. Alice gave a small cough and I snapped back to attention and remembered my manners.

"Esme, this is my good friend Alice Brandon. She's going to be working with me at the restaurant."

Esme smiled affably and extended her hand to Alice, "so nice to meet you."

"And I have to thank you a million times over. The plans are fabulous, I've already got my contractor working on them." Of course as soon as I thought about Edward, I remembered this morning and my face practically burst into flames. Alice probably could've roasted marshmallows on the apples of my cheeks.

She smiled ruefully and said, "I'm so glad to hear that Bella, I truly hope that you can realize this dream of yours."

Renee took that opportunity to ask, "so how are the renovations going?"

"Fine," I replied in a clipped tone.

"Did something happen this morning Bella, you're setting a world record for longest blush ever." She was always too darn perceptive.

"Spill Bella, what's going on?" chimed Alice.

"Fine, I had just left the restaurant when I remembered I need to give Edward a key in case he needed to lock it up, and when I went back inside he was up on the ladder with his shirt off."

Alice snickered, Esme had her hand over her mouth and Renee had a curious look on her face.

"But that's not the worst of it. His pants were hanging on his hips so low that the tops of his boxers were peeking out and beads of sweat were running down his back. I thought I might just pass out right then and there. And then he comes over and completely mesmerizes me and I end up spluttering around like an idiot. The part that's most frustrating is that he does all of this, whether it's on purpose or not, all the while having a girlfriend! Men as beautiful as he is should know that their every action could be construed as flirtatious. It's just not fair that all the good cheesecake is already taken."

At then end of my rant everyone looked up at me curiously. "Never mind." We fell into a conversation about the direction of the restaurant and the opening night plans.

"Mom, will I be able to help out?" Nessie was anxious to be able to get her hands dirty too, but I couldn't have her in the hectic environment of the kitchen. But a thought came to my mind, "I think I have just the spot for you Ness. When school gets out in a few weeks, you can be Alice's apprentice. I'm sure she would love to have your help at the front of house."

"Bella, that's perfect. Nessie, I am going to teach you everything I know about running the dining room. You have to make sure the wait staff is doing their job, while keeping the customers happy, not over scheduling the reservations so the wait stays reasonable, you're going to be a pro by the end of summer!" Alice practically squealed with delight and as she and Nessie were holding hands I thought they might bounce through the roof.

It was getting close to dinner time and I had to get back to the restaurant and see what Edward had been able to accomplish. I chased Nessie off to get her things together so we could leave. As I was picking up my purse my mother said to Esme, "So how is your son doing? He's back here in Chicago isn't he?"

"Yes, he's really enjoying renovating his building. He purchased an old brownstone and has been working on it non-stop for the last year or so."

My interest was piqued and I listened a little more intently. "So he's doing construction now? Wasn't he in medicine?" I glanced over my shoulder trying to be sly. Esme nodded her head and shot a glance my way. I snapped my gaze back down to my things.

"Yes he was an ER doctor, but there was an…incident. He's never been able to get over what happened, so he reverted back to his favorite summer job, construction."

This was not possible. Everything was clicking into place in my head and I felt so stupid for not making the connection sooner. I kept my gaze pointed downward because I didn't want to see her face when I asked her my question. "Esme, what is your son's name?"

"Edward."

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I tried to remain calm, but my conflicting feelings were boiling, threatening to spill over at any moment. I had extracted a promise from Alice to take Nessie straight up to the apartment so that I could have a word with Mr. Cullen. I had to promise in exchange to "spill" every little detail of the conversation.

As I suspected when we arrived at our building the restaurant was dark but the first floor apartment was well lit. I waited until I heard Alice close our apartment door. I took a deep breath to steady myself and rapped on his door.

The door swung open to another scene of shirtless Edward. What was with this guy and his penchant for not wearing shirts all of a sudden? He was toweling his shock of messy wet hair and still had beads of water collected on his shoulders. I wanted to drag my tongue across his collar bones and lick up every last drop.

His voice shocked me back into reality when he said, "I'm so glad you stopped by. I wanted to tell you about everything I was able to get done today."

"Uh huh, that's great. How about you tell me all about how Esme is your MOTHER, and how long you've known that I know her." I crossed my arms defensively and glared at him. For once his mouth hung open and his jaw dropped.

"Um, well I figured out that you knew her when you showed me the blueprints." I glared at him daring to tell me a fib. "Honestly! I had no idea that you knew her at all until I saw her signature on the plans. How do you know her?"

"She and my mom have been friends for forever. They've always kept in touch, in fact my daughter's full name is Renesmee. Sound familiar?"

"Huh. I thought her name was like Vanessa or something like that. So what's the problem?"

I couldn't believe that he was just blowing this whole thing off like it was no big deal. He could've said something, anything, when he found out I knew Esme, but that wasn't what was really burning my britches.

"Well, Esme was going on and on about her son and how he was really enjoying renovating _HIS_ building, and how he was doing work on what was to become a restaurant downstairs." He winced as I punctuated each of my last few words with force.

"When Edward? When were you going to tell me that you owned the place? That you weren't just Joe Shmoe the handyman from the agency? Gosh I feel like an idiot. _You_ made me feel like a fool, in front of not only my mother but yours too. And put a shirt on for crying out loud!"

"Oh, yeah. Sorry." He jogged away and came back a few moments later with an old t-shirt on. "Look Bella, I was going to tell you, really I was. I had a rather bad experience with my last tenant, and I thought that if I got to know you without any pretenses, I could make sure you weren't putting up a front for the landlord. I just didn't want to get burned again."

Well crap. That just shot my whole fiery righteous indignation to pieces. No, he had plenty of opportunities to get to know me. "Edward, I can appreciate you wanting to get to know me incognito, but really, given the amount of time we've spent together, I would think that you'd have already accomplished that much?"

He sighed and dropped his head contritely. _Man he's good at this Mr. Innocent act._ "I really am sorry that I put you in an awkward situation. And you're right, I should've told you sooner. But I was really enjoying just being Edward, and not Edward the owner. I feel like this is going to change things between us, and I didn't really want that to happen."

As he was spouting all manner of beautiful words in the most soothing of tones he was advancing toward me and leaned up against the door jam right next to my face. He breathed his minty sweet breath across my nose and I was momentarily dazed and completely confused. _He's doing it again. He's dazzling you._

I backed up into the hallway and put my hands up. "Don't start that again Mr. Cullen."

"Edward. Mr. Cullen is my father."

"Nope, you are Mr. Cullen as well. And would you knock off this dazzling business, it's messing with my head."

"I dazzle you?"

"Frequently." I can't believe I actually said that out loud but this arrogant man had the nerve to smirk at that revelation. And we hadn't even touched on the fact that he has been shamelessly flirting with me when he has a perfectly gorgeous girlfriend, but I didn't feel like dealing with that can of worms tonight. "I'm tired, and I'm going to bed. And just so you know, I plan on keeping it strictly professional between us. Good night Mr. Cullen."

It made my heart twinge just a little when I saw his face fall at my final remarks. I turned and was about to head up the stairs when he called out to me. "Do you think that Ness could come down sometime tomorrow, I promised I would help her pick out a number for her recital."

I'd forgotten how excited Nessie was about that prospect, and I just didn't have it in my heart to deny her that chance. He really was an exceptional pianist and would probably be a better asset to her one-on-one than her school piano teacher with a dozen students. I sighed in defeat. "Yeah, she can come down, probably around 2."

"That's perfect. Thank you Bella."

"Ms. Swan if you please."

"Sorry, yes Ms. Swan."

I started up the stairs and looked over my shoulder. He was staring after me with hooded eyes, and I was just a little more annoyed with him than before.

"Stop saying sorry."

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A/N: Edward with his shirt off TWICE! I think that deserves some extra review lovin'! Thanks everyone who's reading and reviewing.

"**Shirtless Steak Rub"**

**Ingredients**

1 cup ancho chili powder

1/3 cup Spanish paprika

3 tablespoons ground dried oregano

3 tablespoons ground coriander

3 tablespoons dry mustard

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon ground black pepper

2 teaspoons chile de arbol, optional

**Directions**

Whisk together all ingredients. Store rub in a container with a tight fitting lid in a cool, dark, place.

Suggestions for uses: cut a couple of thick cut ribeye steaks into bite sized pieces, cover in the rub, skewer and grill until desired doneness. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese while still hot.


	9. Making Music and Mishaps

**A/N: Hey everybody! Sooooo, another big thank you for all the reviews! They really mean a lot! And HUGE shout out and props to my beta sweetthunder for making this chapter rock. **

**Also be sure to check out my profile for links to the Razzle Dazzle awards, the Bellies and the immortal cookie awards. Nominte and vote for your favs! And the song Edward plays for Nessie is linked on my profile, go check it out!  
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Tapas at Twilight**

**Chapter 9:Making Music and Mishaps**

**BPOV**

I stormed up the stairs and I could have sworn that Edward was checking out my butt as I walked away. I walked in to my apartment and tossed my keys and purse on the kitchen counter. After a quick glance around I realized he owned my apartment too, which just turned up the heat on my boiling anger. Alice was on the futon flipping through a magazine, munching on the prosciutto asparagus rolls I had made earlier. She looked up, somewhat hopeful and asked, "well?"

"Is Nessie asleep?" I did not want to be having this conversation with my daughter listening. Alice nodded and rolled her hand motioning for me to keep talking.

"Well, he apologized, but he was still totally flirting and just being all Edward. And he was half naked, again!" Alice giggled at my indignation but I was too fired up to care. " I guess he had a semi-plausible reason for not telling me who he was straight up, but I don't know, he's just too smooth. And I have no idea what his motives are and I hate that I even care." Between my Mom moving, quitting my job, and opening a restaurant, I didn't know where I could muster up the strength to deal with some crazy handyman/doctor playing mind games and walking around shirtless all the time.

Alice set the magazine down on the small side table and stood up. "Bella really, he's seems nice enough, maybe you shouldn't be so hard on him. I highly doubt there is a surplus of smokin' hot handymen with M.D.'s and mad piano skills. Especially ones who are obviously interested in getting to know you better."

"Alice! I will not just ignore his behavior, it's totally inappropriate, especially when he has a girlfriend."

"Whatever Bella, I'm going to head home. But just think about it okay? I'll see you on Monday." She picked up her bag and danced her way out the door.

I laid out the futon, and started getting ready for bed. While I was methodically brushing my teeth, washing my face and pulling my hair up, I wondered if I could get away with just sending Nessie downstairs and avoid seeing Edward again. No, I should walk her down and make sure he knows we need to leave at 4 to say good bye to my Mom and Phil. I finally crawled under the old quilt on my cozy (that's realtor speak for too small) futon and tried to shut my mind down so I could function like a normal person the next day.

The last thought on my traitorous brain was a dripping wet shirtless Edward.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Mom! Is it 2 o'clock yet?" I sighed and looked down at my watch for the 20th time in the last hour.

"No Renesmee, it is only 1:30 and if you ask me again, I'm going to make you stay home instead of going to Edwards! Go get your sheet music together so you have something to pick from."

She huffed and stomped off to the piano bench. I was looking over budget spread sheets and invoices again, and my head was positively spinning with numbers. There is a reason I went to culinary school, I was never great at numbers. I definitely needed Jasper to go over some of this with me again.

Nessie sat down across from me at our little round kitchen table. She rested her chin on her crossed arms with her music bag sitting next to her feet. I looked over my stack of papers for a few more minutes and then looked up at my daughter. Her head popped up like a prairie dog but she didn't say a word. She knew better than to test my threat of making her stay home.

I looked at the clock and asked, "ready to go?" She jumped up out of her seat and ran to the door. I could hear her pounding down the stairs and stop when she got to Edward's apartment. She was waiting most impatiently for me before she knocked. I nodded and she gave a quick rhythmic tap on the door.

I tried to look detached but after the dreams that I'd had the night before, that was seeming like an impossibility. I swore, though, if he was shirtless again, we'd be moving apartments and I'd find a new contractor. Thankfully, when the door opened, Edward was fully dressed. Well, I was mostly thankful.

"Hey Ness, Bella, how are you?" He flashed me that perfectly gleaming smile, but what made my insides puddle was how he looked at my daughter. He was so genuinely excited to be helping her with her piano, and it showed in his every expression. Eric was the last man that had ever looked at her with that much pure love and connection. Phil was on the road so much when we were living with him and Renee that Nessie really hadn't had a consistent male presence in her life in a long time. It was clear that she craved that positive male influence and she was obviously latching onto Edward. It was like they had a connection that was beyond explanation. I wasn't sure if I should be grateful or worried by the attachment.

"I have so many ideas but I wanted to try some stuff out and play around and then maybe we could look through my sheet music and find something from there and I've been practicing really hard and then maybe you could play something and we could look through your music and yeah." Edward began laughing out loud at her enthusiasm.

"Take a breath Nessie, that all sounds great. Did you want to come in?" He showed the way into his apartment and I reluctantly followed. Nessie made a bee-line to the baby grand in the corner. She trailed her finger along the curve of the body and then down on to the keyboard. I looked further into the apartment and was surprised to note the large two story living room. I hadn't realized that his apartment took up the second _and_ third floors.

It was obvious that a lot of meticulous attention had been paid to each detail. The banister on the stairs was definitely custom. Each piece of furniture was precisely placed and matched. But it didn't look matchy matchy, it was eclectic and comfortable. It looked like I had stepped onto a page of an interior design magazine. I thought of my ramshackle abode a few floors above and cringed.

As I walked through the entry hallway I passed a bookshelf that had several picture frames on it. I zeroed in on one of a younger Edward and a younger but still just as beautiful Tanya. They were sitting shoulder to shoulder and had their heads tilted toward the other, and had I not been feeling conflicted and a little bit jealous, I could've conceded that it was the perfect picture of childhood sweethearts. But seeing it now, in my present state, I was even more annoyed by Edwards advances.

Of course he took advantage of Nessie's distraction to come over and talk to me. _Why wasn't he getting the hint?_ "Hey Bella, you look really nice today." Feeling frustrated that he seemed unable to maintain a professional relationship I chose to completely ignore the comment.

"I'll be back at 4 to pick up Ness, we have to go say good bye to my Mom and her husband since they're moving to Florida."

He must have picked up on my lukewarm vibe because he seemed to tense up for a moment. He shoved one hand in his pocket, glanced over at Nessie, who was softly doing scales, and back at me. He sighed, his brows knit together and a frown tugged at his plump and perfectly kissable lips. He looked like he was trying to figure out the theory of relativity.

"Bella look, I really am sorry about the way things came out. I didn't want you to find out the way you did. Do you think maybe we could just start over?" He reached up and gently put his hand on my upper arm sending a warm hum over my skin.

"Edward, I think it's a little late to be starting over. Too much _stuff_ is going on for both of us, and I just want to keep things professional, okay? Maybe things would've worked out differently but I just can't deal right now. I mean you're my neighbor, landlord, contractor, now you're my daughter's recital consultant, it's just too much. I'm sorry." His hand dropped down to his side and the warm tingle immediately left.

"I'll be back in a couple of hours okay Ness?" I called out to my daughter who was so wrapped up in her musical bubble she probably didn't hear a word I'd said.

I stepped out of Edward's apartment forcing my self not to look back at him and headed up the stairs to get some cleaning and laundry done.

**EPOV**

I felt defeated as I watched Bella walk away from me. I was thoroughly annoyed with myself for not having come clean sooner. She was right though. Things probably would've worked out differently had I not been such a jerk. Maybe things could still work out, I'd just have to cross my fingers and hope.

Nessie was up to A major when I returned to the living room. She had her eyes closed and was skillfully plunking out each note. I pulled one of the kitchen chairs up next to the bench as quietly as I could and watched her continue her warm up exercises. When she had finished, she opened her eyes and turned to look at me.

She had the cutest crooked smile and I couldn't help but smile widely in return. "Well Miss Swan, shall we get started?"

"It's Yorkie."

"What's Yorkie?"

"My last name is Yorkie."

"Oh! I thought, since your mom's name is Swan, that yours was too."

"Her name was Yorkie before my dad died, but I think it made her too sad so she uses her 'before-she-got-married' name."

"I'm sorry Ness, I hope I didn't make you feel bad." I wasn't expecting that one. I had just assumed that Bella was divorced, I didn't expect her to be a widow. I couldn't help but wonder how her husband has passed away.

"That's okay, I know my dad's happy in heaven." She shrugged her shoulders and placed her hands in her lap.

"Well Ness, tell me what kind of music do you like to play?" I wanted to find out what her strengths and weaknesses were, that way I could better help her choose a piece for her recital. I smiled as she reached down to a brown tote bag with the music for "Ode to Joy" printed on the side. I had one just like it when I started taking piano lessons. She pulled out a handful of music and started sifting through it.

"I like Mozart and Beethoven, you know the usuals. But I think my favorite right now is Debussy, _Claire de Lune._"

I smiled when she told me her favorite, it was one of my favorites too. I could tell she was using her most grown-up voice, she wanted me to take her seriously and she wanted to impress me. I nodded in approval and asked, "would you play some for me?" She grinned, picked the sheet music out of her stack and placed it on the music holder, making sure to smooth out the creases. She wiggled in her seat a little, repositioned her feet took in a deep breath and very slowly, very dramatically floated her hands down to the keyboard. It was all I could do to maintain a serious face and hold in a chuckle.

Even though she had carefully set up the music it almost seemed like a formality rather than a necessity, when she started to play, the notes flowed from her fingers effortlessly. I was completely mesmerized, she was better than I had been at that age. Nessie definitely had the chops to backup her show. She glanced a few times at the music but truly didn't need to. When the final notes faded away I gave her an earnest round of applause which made her blush furiously. _Adorable, just like her mother._

"Ness that was really well played, I'm very impressed. Have you ever made up your own stuff?"

She tilted her head to the side shyly and nodded. "Have you?"

"I sure have, would you like to hear something I wrote when I was a teenager?"

"Yes!" She squealed, clapping her hands and moving quickly away from the bench so that I could sit down. It had been a long time since I'd played this particular piece, but it seemed fitting for the moment. It was one of the first full length songs I'd ever written and I'd literally put my entire being into it.

I began lightly tapping out the melody of the song and was quickly transported to the more carefree days of my youth. I closed my eyes and gave my whole self over to the music. My hands brushed over the keys, weightless at first, careless, then more intensely and faster, all of my worry and pain seeping out of my finger tips. When I was done, I looked over at Nessie whose mouth was gaping open like a fish out of water. I had never played that _in_ the moment before, it was a pretty intense feeling.

"Did you just use your whole arm?" I realized I had been holding my breath so I released my lungs and looked over at Nessie. I smiled, of course she would be impressed at the part where I banged all the black keys with both my forearms.

"Yeah, that's why I call that one 'all of me'."

"I want to be able to play like that."

"You will, I'm sure of it. Would you like to play what you've already made up?"

She shook her head no, a slight blush creeping over her cheeks, and I completely understood. I didn't like playing unfinished pieces for anyone else either.

"That's okay Ness, when it's done I'd be honored to listen to it, if you'd like me to."

"I think I'd like that Edward. Thanks."

We spent the next couple of hours going over different options and came up with one that was complex enough, but not too hard. I glanced up at the clock and saw that it was almost 4 o'clock.

"Ness, do you know heart and soul?" She turned her body on the bench, cocked her head to the side, and placed her hand on her hip.

"Duh! Who doesn't know heart and soul?" I smiled at her sassiness and motioned for her to scoot down the bench. We both put our hands on the keys and looked at each other.

"You count it out, I'll do the top part okay?" She nodded her head and started into the bouncy base of the song. After a few measures, I joined in on the top notes ad libbing and changing up the melody of the song. She kept up really well and before I knew it we were practically dueling.

We were both swaying back and forth laughing as our elbows kept knocking together. Nessie was trying to scoot me off the bench so I was scooting her right back, laughing so hard I could barely keep my eyes open. We ended the tune with a final chord and gave each other a quick fist bump.

I heard a soft throat clearing noise behind us and turned to see Bella standing behind us. "I hope that's not what you've picked out for the recital," she said with a playful smile stealing across her soft pink lips.

"No _mom_, we were just having fun," Nessie said play-scolding her mother.

"I'm glad you had a good time, are you ready to go to Amma's? She and Ampa Phil are leaving early tomorrow morning, so this is our last night with them." Nessie's expression fell and she sighed out, "yeah, I just need to get my music back together."

"Okay, when you're done, run it upstairs and we'll head out." I stood up and shoved my hands into my pockets. Bella had moved a little further away from me and I could sense her uneasiness. I couldn't understand why things seemed to have changed so drastically between us.

Nessie dashed in between us and up the stairs to their apartment. Bella looked down at her feet and made to follow after her daughter. She looked up at me, but her gaze seemed to be directed through me, "I'm sorry about barging in, you guys were playing so loudly, I knocked, really I did, but I guess you didn't hear. Sorry." She turned her face back down again, and I just couldn't stand not looking into her beautiful eyes anymore.

I stepped a bit closer to her and could see her stiffen slightly. I gently used my index finger to bring her chin up so I could see her face. I tried to look into her eyes, desperately wanting to make a connection, but she diverted them to the side. "It's really no big deal Bella, we were being awfully loud," I dropped my hand and paused in my thoughts. "You know, Nessie is really talented, I am very impressed. She's had some great training."

"It's more her than the training. She's loved music for as long as I can remember. She composed her first concerto on the little 10 key sesame street piano she got for her 3rd birthday. She would squeal every time she hit the key with Big Bird and his picture would pop up." The fierce intensity with which Bella obviously loved Nessie just made her all the more beautiful.

"I can imagine," I let the rest of my thought die out, it wasn't important. What was important was that I clear some of the tension between us.

"Well, I'd better get going. Thanks again, for helping Renesmee." She walked down the hallway and just as she was about to step through the door I called out.

"Bella, do you think we could at least be friends? I have some cousins about Nessie's age, they're going to be here later tonight and for all day tomorrow. Maybe you could come down and we could all make tacos together or something, just as friends?" I emphasized the last part hoping that would sway her a little. I had all my fingers and toes metaphorically crossed, waiting for her answer. She blew out a breath and turned to face me.

"You know Edward, you have a heck of a lot of nerve. It's one thing to have lied to my face about who you were, but all of this...this...flirting or whatever it is, is just wrong. How can you do that to Tanya?"

Huh? That was not at all the response I was expecting. "What does Tanya have to do with this?"

"She has everything to do with this. You're telling me she doesn't care that you're inviting a single woman to dinner in your apartment?"

"Why would she care?" I was completely at a loss as to where this was coming from. I ran my hand through my hair and looked expectantly at Bella.

She threw up her hands and all but shouted, "because she's your GIRLFRIEND!!!"

My brow wrinkled and I slowly began to comprehend what Bella had inferred. "Bella, why do you think Tanya is my girlfriend?"

"It's pretty obvious," she huffed. "She's keeping clothes here, has her own key, is completely gorgeous, and it sure looks like you two are a match made in heaven, and have been for some time," she grabbed the photo of me and Tanya at one of the last beach vacations the family had taken before we both went off to college, and thrust it at me. I started grinning and took the photo from her hand.

I glanced down at the photo and remembered the fun we'd had at the boardwalk that summer. "Ahhh, this was a fun trip. But Bella, you've got it all wrong." She raised her eyebrow at me and asked, "oh really? Well then please enlighten me." She had her arms akimbo and was looking as defiantly as was possible for someone who was so completely mistaken.

"Tanya is my cousin." The silence hung in the air and I could see it wrap around Bella and quiet the rebuttal she'd been planning. Her brow furrowed and she dropped her head down a little.

"Huh?"

"Tanya is my cousin, she's lived with my family since we were little. She's like a sister to me."

"So she's not your girlfriend?" The fire in her voice was effectively doused and she had become almost timid.

"Nope."

"Oh good Lord," she said as a faint whisper. Nessie came bounding down the stairs at that moment, changed into a new outfit and stopped next to Bella. "I gotta go," she said softly grabbing Nessie's hand and hurrying down the stairs.

"You're still invited for tacos tomorrow night!" I called down after the pair. She gave no acknowledgment so I wasn't going to hold my breath, but I'd make extra just in case.

**

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A/N: So there it is, can anyone say aw snap? Yes, Bella feels like an idiot and we'll find out next chapter just how much of a dummy she thinks she is. :) And many of you think all the secrets are out, but that is not so, there are several other secrets that have yet to be revealed, so keep your eyes opened! And now if you'd be so kind please REVIEW and let me know what you think!**

**Prosciutto Asparagus Rolls**

2 1/4 Pounds Asparagus (spears trimmed)

1/4 Cup Butter (plus extra for greasing)

3 1/2 Ounces Prosciutto (sliced)

1 Cup Parmesan Cheese (finely grated)

Salt to Taste

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Cook the asparagus in salted, boiling water for 15 minutes.

3. Grease an oven proof dish with butter.

4. Drain the asparagus and gently pat dry.

5. Spread out the prosciutto on the counter.

6. Lay two large or three small asparagus on each slice.

7. Roll up and fasten each roulade with a toothpick.

8. Place the rolls in the prepared dish, sprinkle with the Parmesan, dot with the butter and bake for 10 minutes.

9. Serve immediately.


	10. Humble Pie

**A/N: Big thanks for the wonderful response! I'm glad some new folk have reviewed, I read and so appreciate all of the comments that are sent!**

***Happy News* **_**A New Frontier was nominated for 2 immortal cookie awards, best cliffie and best angst (M)**_**. So go to my profile, the link to the immortal cookie awards is on there, as well as links to the Bellies, Indie Twific (Blood Crystal is the only story that would qualify for that one), and the Razzle Dazzle awards.**

**Come join us on the forum at twilighted(dot)net, the link is on my profile. I leave teasers and such on there so if you need a fix in between posts, come chat!**

**

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Tapas at Twilight**

**Chapter 10: Humble Pie **

**BPOV**

"Mom, take me with you! Please?" I was whining pathetically and I could feel my mother shaking with silent chuckles as she wrapped her arms around me in feigned comfort. We were standing in the empty kitchen of her empty house and I was starting to feel a little bit emptier inside.

"Bella, it couldn't have been that bad really?"

"Does Paula Dean like butter? Yeah mom, it's that bad. I basically accused him of being a cheating bastard. I don't know how I'm supposed to face him again. He must think I'm a total psycho. I wouldn't blame him if he does, I certainly acted the part." I whispered not wanting to alert Nessie to my despair. She had gone outside with Phil, who was carrying the last box to go in the moving truck, but I didn't want her hearing about Edward like this. She completely idolized him and I didn't really have any reason to stop her. He was worth idolizing and I was a complete moron.

"Well, you can't come with us. So that's what you get for assuming things, I thought you would've figured that out from the last time."

"Don't even bring that up mom. Just...don't." I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair grabbing fistfuls and pulling in frustration. "I'll just pretend like nothing happened. Sure. I can do that." I was pacing back and forth across the empty great room.

"Bells, if he doesn't make a big deal about it, then you shouldn't either. I mean from all you've said about his behavior, he's probably interested. Give the man a chance, he's gorgeous, he comes from a great family..." She was nudging my side with her elbow and waggling her eyebrows at me.

"Should I let Phil in on this conversation mom?" I ribbed right back.

"Let Phil in on what?" He questioned as he and Nessie walked into the house.

"Hmmm, no, I prefer soft-in-the middle 40 something baseball players," she teased, poking him in his still toned stomach.

"Hey, you lookin' at my gut? I'm workin' on it," he jokingly reprimanded Renee. He reached out and took her hand and pulled her into his side. They were too cute together.

"Well, hot stuff, why don't we head over to the hotel and let my girls get some rest tonight." My mom pulled her hand quickly under her eyes trying to wipe away the tears that started leaking out. I wasn't in any better shape. I reached up and wrapped my arms around the one constant in my life. She saved me when Eric died and I didn't know how my life was going to pan out. She was the only other person on earth who loved Nessie near as much as I did. I gave her a big hug and whispered, "I wish you guys weren't leaving. I know you need to and that this is a good thing for Phil, I'm just going to miss you like crazy."

"I know honey, but you'll be fine. _Everything _will work out just the way it should. Trust your old mom." She squeezed back and then released me for Nessie.

I walked into Phil's offered embrace and gave him a tight hug. "Bells, men are knuckle heads. I don't know everything, but Renny's filled me in on the important points. Give the guy a chance, you deserve some happiness. It's been too long for you. And trust me when a guy is into you, it really doesn't matter if you've acted like an idiot or not." I groaned out loud. Phil chuckled and held me at arms length and said, "if he's still smilin' tomorrow, don't worry about it." I nodded but was already making my plans to begin looking for caves I could move into, and large rocks I could hide under.

After a few more minutes of tears and goodbyes, we got in the truck and pulled away from Bloomingdale for the last time. Renee and Phil waved until we turned the corner and they disappeared from view. It took all my strength to keep driving back to my tiny apartment where the only thing waiting for me was embarrassment and self-pity. Away from my Mommy.

I heard the sniffles from the seat next to me and reached over the bench to grab Renesmee's hand in my own. "It's just you and me now huh sweet pea?" She sniffed again and nodded.

"Maybe we can get web cams and skype every week, how does that sound?"

"As if Amma could figure out web cams."

"Don't worry, we'll help her get used to it. She figured out how to text. She can figure out web cams too."

That seemed to cheer her up marginally but I could tell she was really going to miss Amma. And I was too, more than I was ready to admit.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Nessie, just walk down there and knock on the door. I'll call him and tell him why I'm not there."

She crossed her arms and glared at me. "Fine, but it would be more fun if you came too. It's weird if I go by myself."

"Sorry honey, I just don't want to risk throwing up all over Edward's apartment. Now shoo, just come back up around 9 okay? Go have fun." I gave her a quick peck on the top of her head and gently shoved her out the door. It would be good for her to meet some new children and she loved spending time with Edward. Besides, she'd been spending way too much practice time out on the front steps with that Jacob kid.

I quickly picked up the phone and dialed Edward's number. _Please go to voice mail, don't pick up, don't pick ...dang it._

"Hello?"

"Ummm, Edward?"

"Bella, how are you?" I could hear the satisfied smirk in his voice, he was so darn smug it drove me nuts. I don't have a lot of pride but I was intent on keeping the few shreds I had left, intact.

"I'm not so good. Stomach flu or something like that. I'm sending Nessie down for tacos, though, she really wanted to come."

"Oh, well do you want me to bring some up for you, are you running a fever, feeling lightheaded?" The disappointment and concern were thick in his voice, but I was still no where near ready to face him yet.

"Uhhh, no. No that wouldn't be a good idea, I'd probably just puke it up all over the place. I took some Tylenol already so I should be fine. But..thanks anyway?" I felt more awkward than a newborn giraffe on ice. How could this one man, this one handsome, perfectly sexy man, affect me like this. _Simple, dummy. Because he's handsome and perfect and you can't stop having naughty dreams about him._

"Bella? Are you still there?"

I shook my head, gosh, I can't even day dream with out getting caught acting the fool.

"Yeah, sorry, zoned out for a second. What did you say?"

"I just said that Nessie just got here, and I hope you're feeling better."

"Oh, thanks. Um, just send her home around 9."

"Sweet dreams Bella."

"Yeah, bye." I'm sure I'd be having sweet dreams.

Yes, I was lying. No I was not sick. I was chicken. A big fat huge pathetic chicken. I was avoiding and I needed some excuses to stay away from Edward and as much as it made me cringe, shopping with Alice seemed like the best excuse.

I'd call her tomorrow. For now I was just going to wallow in my little pool of embarrassed self-pity and consume as much chocolate-chip cookie dough ice cream I could get my hands on.

The next morning, Nessie got ready for school and I wrote a quick note to Edward letting him know I wouldn't be around much for the next few days. I planned to spend every last minute while Nessie was in school to shop for the restaurant and just plain avoid Edward. I put Jasper's contact info on the note so that he could put out any fires that might arise.

We hurried down the stairs and I taped the note onto Edward's door. I tried to be quiet, but Nessie just pounded down the stairs like usual. I heard the click of the latch but kept facing forward. Just as we were about to exit the building I heard him call, "Bella?"

I reached my arm up and pointed toward the door, at least I think I was pointing to where the note was taped and said, "read the note, we're late. Gotta go!" and then hurried out into the warm spring air.

As we walked to the "L" I pulled out my phone and made plans with Alice for the next several days.

**EPOV**

Well shoot. That's not what I'd wanted to happen. Our blow up had only happened two nights ago, but I could tell she was hiding. I hadn't seen her at all since that night, and then just the back of her escaping form as she practically ran out of the building away from me.

I opened the folded piece of paper and as I read, my disappointment compounded. She was doing everything in her power to stay away from me. Well she couldn't avoid me forever. At least I hoped she couldn't. But after all the lies and misunderstandings I couldn't really blame her. How had this gotten so screwed up? It's like I couldn't make a single decision that didn't end up in a wrong turn.

I decided if she wasn't going to be around there wasn't much point in prolonging the repairs. I called up two of my best sub-contractors and asked them to meet me at the restaurant. We'd be able to get the job done in less than a week. If nothing else, I could make Bella happy in that way.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

4 days and I hadn't seen hide nor hair of Ms. Swan. The pipes had all been replaced, and the drywall was sanded, primed, and painted to match the rest of the room. I had been mulling over every conceivable way to get back into Bella's good graces when an idea popped into my head.

I pulled out my phone and the note Bella had left me on the first day. I dialed the number and waited for Jasper to pick up. I'd met him once before, but only briefly. I hoped that I could count on his help.

"This is Jasper,"

"Hi Jasper? This is Edward, I'm working on Bella's restaurant."

"Hey Edward, is there a problem?"

"No, well, not with the building at least." He chuckled slightly and I could only assume he knew about the misunderstanding between Bella and myself.

"Sorry man. What can I help you with?" I went on to explain my plan to him and he seemed to think that was a fabulous idea.

"I just need to keep Bella away for one more day, maybe you could get Alice to divert her attention for a little bit longer?"

"I'm sure once I explain to Alice what's going on, she'll be more than happy to help."

"Thanks Jasper, I really owe you one."

"Yeah, you do, but Bella deserves a little bit of happiness too. Later bro."

I put my phone back in my pocket and got back to finishing the moulding detail I'd been working on before my stroke of genius.

**BPOV**

I think we'd walked a marathon for as many times we'd been up and down the magnificent mile. My feet were surprisingly still attached to my ankles and I was just beginning to be able to push thoughts of my ginormous faux pas to the back of my mind.

Call it a form of self punishment but I made a note to never, ever request a week long shopping excursion from Alice again.

We were sitting at a little café sipping our drinks and munching on scones when Alice's phone began to chirp. She picked up and I pretended to people watch. I didn't want to be too obvious while I eaves dropped on her conversation.

"Sorry Bells. Hey Jazzy! What's that? Hmmm I see. Yes, that _is_ an interesting development." She looked directly at me and I knew I'd been caught. But what was with the emphasis on _is_? She smirked and raised her eyebrow but continued on with her phone call, "I think we can work that out. Ditto."

She was beaming when she got off the phone, love, especially Jasper love suited her well. I waited for her to initiate the conversation, even though I was already busted. But she didn't say anything, and the not knowing was killing me. Smug little woman just sat there with a very self-satisfied expression sipping her organic black currant herbal tea like nothing else in the world mattered.

I narrowed my eyes into slits, trying to shoot daggers at her, but that only seemed to render her more gleeful. Finally I couldn't stand it any more.

"Well?" I asked, frustration coating my tone of voice.

"Well what Bella?"

"What did Jasper want?" I had downed the rest of my drink and got up to toss the cup away.

"Oh that? That was nothing. But his call did give me an idea. We have a bit more shopping to do tomorrow and then I was thinking maybe we could have a girls sleepover at my place. You and Nessie could come over straight after school since it'll be Friday. We could do mani/pedi's and have ice cream, put in a movie and veg."

It had been forever since we'd had a girls night, and with Renee and Phil leaving, and school winding down, it was the perfect distraction, especially for Renesmee.

"I think that's a great idea Alice, in fact I really wish I were a vegetable already. But what are we shopping for? I thought that we'd found all of the linens and decor already?"

"Silly Bella, you need a fabulous dress for the restaurant opening. For that night, you are going to have let Jasper handle the bulk of the food prep so that you can be the face of Tapas at Twilight."

"The face of what?"

"Tapas at Twilight, don't you think that's the perfect name for the restaurant?"

We'd thrown out several different names for the restaurant but had never discussed that one. "It's perfect Alice. I'll call the sign company tomorrow and get an order in for the graphic. But I don't really need a new dress Alice. I don't want to stand out."

"Bella, don't you know, you were made to stand out? You might as well do it in a fantastic outfit." It was pointless trying to fight Alice, besides, I would need to save up that fight so I wouldn't end up looking like Glinda the good witch in a sparkly ball gown and too much glitter.

I dropped Nessie off at school and met Alice at her apartment. I was prepared for today's shopping trip with a shirt and pants that were easy on and off, comfy mules and I brought my strapless bra just in case, though I prayed I wouldn't need it. I would have to do some cooking on my opening night and needed something that wouldn't fall off of me.

"Remember Alice, nothing too revealing, I need to be able to function in this dress."

We spent a large portion of the day in plush dressing rooms in the nicest department stores along Michigan Avenue. This was killing me. At the last store I though I could possible handle, we walked in and Alice zeroed in on a dress like a missile locked on target. It was like she knew it had been here all along. This girl had a sixth sense for fashion. Of course Alice pulled about 10 more dresses off the rack on the way to the dressing room, barely looking at tags and dragged me in to try on my final onslaught of dresses. But in the end the first dress she'd picked up was the one. It was the perfect dress, it had coverage but wasn't dowdy, the shoes however were a bigger fight.

Alice had shoved a pair of patent leather pumps at me and was scowling. "Just put the blasted shoes on your feet. You never know, they just might be comfortable."

"I doubt that 4 inch heels can be comfortable Alice." I snapped back, my feet were still screaming in protest from the hours of shopping we'd already done that week.

"They're only 3 1/4 inches, I'm giving you a break. Besides, they're Cole Haans and the insides are designed by Nike. Now put them on please?"

I plopped down in the chair and slipped my foot through the sling back and into the peep toe of the offensive shoe. I put the other one on and cautiously stood up. Surprisingly, they weren't all that uncomfortable. I could wear them out on the dining room floor and while I was in the kitchen I could slip them off and put on my crocs. That would be perfect.

I was chagrined at having to give Alice her props for picking a deceptively decent pair of shoes, she simply smiled and said, "you'll thank me later, I'm sure."

We picked up Nessie and headed back over to Alice's apartment. We dropped the bags by the door and Alice hung up my dress in the hall closet. "Ugh, I feel gross, I'm going to shower real quick. You can take one after me Bells, I'll be out in a jiff."

"Sound good to me Alice. What do you want me to order for dinner?"

I heard the shower come on and waited for a minute. "Whatever Nessie wants is fine," she called from the bathroom.

True to her word, Alice was out in less than 10 minutes, dressed in a matching pajama short set and her hair wrapped up in a turbie twist. "Feel free to use any of the pretty soaps Bella, it is girly night after all. I left a clean robe in there too if you want." She had a basket full of nail polishes and various files and buffers that she placed on the coffee table in front of Nessie.

"I never got a chance to order the food Alice." I tossed out over my shoulder as I made my way in to the bath. After I had finished my shower I dried off and grabbed another turbie twist, and wrapped my hair up tightly. _These things are amazing, I might need to get one or three._

When I walked into the living room Hannah Montana was blasting from the speakers and Alice and Nessie were both bopping their heads to the beat. Nessie's toes were stuffed with cotton balls and she had bright pink polish on all but one of them. Alice's feet were in the same shape, though she'd opted for a deep purple.

I sat down and Alice immediately got to work on my toes with crimson red. When she pulled my hands toward her she tsk'd loudly. "Hey, what can I say, they're working hands. I can't do long nails, food gets stuck underneath and it's gross."

"Well, we'll just clean up the edges and give it a couple of coats of clear then." Renesmee had taken the towel off my head and was running a wide toothed comb through the long locks. When she was done with my fingers, Alice traded places with Ness and began blow drying my hair, styling it with a large round brush. After several minutes, my hair hung in large soft curls flowing around my shoulders and down my back. It felt good to just have some time to relax.

Nessie then grabbed a make up bag and started pulling various tubes and compacts out.

"No way! I just took a shower!"

"Oh don't be a party pooper Bella? What's a girly night without a little makeover?" I huffed in submission and allowed them to attack me with various creams and powders.

Nessie would hand one to Alice, who would apply it to my face. It was like Nessie was the nurse and Alice was performing surgery. "Blush", "Eyeliner", "Concealer". Nessie loved being included by Alice and it was fun watching my daughter get so excited about little things like this.

The door bell rang and Alice went to pay for our take out. "Hey Nessie," Alice said, "how would you like your mom to model her opening night dress?" She asked carrying a bag full of what smelled like all my favorites from China House.

"Ooohhh yes yes yes! I want to see how beautiful it will look." She was bouncing up and down on the couch with a huge grin on her face. I wasn't exactly sure why she was _this_ excited about a little black dress, but I decided to humor her.

"Fine, I'll go try it on, but just for a minute, I don't want to mess it up before the big night!"

"And the shoes! Don't forget the shoes," Alice sang out.

I slipped on the dress, careful not to get make up on it. I glanced in the mirror and decided that Spanx were definitely going to be a part of my opening night ensemble. I was leaning up against the bathroom counter tugging on the shoes when I heard my phone going off in the living room.

I strode out of the bathroom quickly, but carefully and picked up my cell. Nessie ooohed and ahhed when I walked past her and I gave her a quick wink.

I glanced at the caller ID and frowned. Why was Jasper calling me?

"Jazz? What's up, you know you've just interrupted the fashion show."

"Yeah, I'm sorry about that Bells, but something's come up down at the restaurant. Edward called me cause he figured you didn't want to be bothered, but I think you're going to need to come down here right away." His tone was grave. I'd never heard Jasper sound so serious.

"What's going on Jasper, you're kind of freaking me out."

"It's well...there was a small fire and I....you just need to get down here as soon as you can."

"Fire? What!? Did you call the fire department?"

"Bells just hurry okay? I mean, drive safe, I just need you here soon." I clicked my phone shut and stood there motionless. Had all my dreams gone up in smoke before they'd even had a chance? I felt sick to my stomach, but there was nothing to throw up, I hadn't eaten anything since breakfast.

Alice rushed to my side and looked at me with concern. "What's going on Bella?"

"Jasper said there was a fire at the restaurant. I need to change and get down there."

"Forget changing, just go. Don't worry about Nessie, she'll be fine here, we've got her overnight bag, so hurry, go see what's going on." She pushed my purse and keys into my hand and shoved me out the door.

I sped all the way back to the restaurant and pulled to a halt in front of the entrance. I jumped out and ran to the door. The brown protective paper covering the windows looked to be intact and the outside looked fine. Something must have gone wrong back in the kitchen where all the new, expensive appliances are. Maybe it was a gas leak? Maybe Dr. Handyman wasn't so great after all? There were no fire trucks around so I was a little hesitant to go inside. I pushed open the door and everything was dark in the dining room.

"Hello? Jasper? What the heck? Where's the fire?"

"It's right here."

I heard the distinct click of a lighter and a small flame burst forth from then end of a long wand, right in the middle of the room. My eyes were still adjusting to the darkness, but I knew that voice and it turned my bones into jelly.

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A/N: He he, so a mini cliffie, can't wait for next chapter huh? Let me know what you thought, and don't forget to check my profile for links to the chat thread, award sites etc. And you get two recipes since, I didn't know which one to include.  
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**Shredded Beef Tacos**

1 (4 pound) frozen rump roast

1 Beef Broth

2 (7.75 ounce) cans Mexican style tomatoes (Rotel)

3 tablespoons crushed garlic

salt and ground black pepper to taste

1 bunch green onions, chopped

1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

**Directions:**

1. Place the frozen roast in the slow cooker. Pour the broth and Mexican style tomatoes over the top. Season with garlic, and salt and pepper to taste.

2. Cover, and cook on Low for 9 hours. When done, the roast should shred easily with a fork. Shred the roast into the juices, and mix in the chopped green onions and cilantro.

Build your tacos however you like em'. Lettuce, tomatoes, guacamole, cheese, etc.

**Scones**

Ingredients:

1 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon baking soda

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup white sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter

1 egg

1 cup craisins (optional)

Zest of 1 Orange (optional)

**Directions**:

1. In a small bowl, blend the sour cream and baking soda, and set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a large baking sheet.

3. In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, cream of tartar, and salt. Cut in the butter. Stir the sour cream mixture and egg into the flour mixture until just moistened. Mix in the raisins.

4. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead briefly. Roll or pat dough into a 3/4 inch thick round. Cut into 12 wedges, and place them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.

5. Bake 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown on the bottom.


	11. Voting

Last Chance to vote for the Wrong Flower!!!

You can find the links to the story and to Bronzehairedgirl620's page on my profile.


	12. The Secret's in the Sauce

**A/N: Thanks for all the awesome reviews! Last chapter tied for most reviews ever! ****Now please go vote for "THE WRONG FLOWER" over at Bronze's page (link's on my profile****), it would make me so happy :). Also check out the immortal cookie's, New Frontier is nominated over there.**

**You can also view banners for each of my stories by clicking the links on my profile. There is a link for the discussion thread for Tapas at Twilight on there too. Come chat with us.**

**HUGE thanks to Sweetthunder for smoothing out and finessing this chapter, you can also thank her for lots of cuteness in last chapter as well. She's working on the next chapter for her story as well, so go check it out ( in my favorites).**

**Longest chapter to date!  
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Tapas At Twilight**_

**Chapter 11: The Secret's in the Sauce**

**EPOV**

I was wearing a hole in the floor of the dining room of Bella's restaurant, pacing back and forth. This was my grand gesture, my all-in move, I was throwing my intentions our there for her to either accept or deny. My mother was right, I had found someone who filled an empty space inside of me and I didn't want to let that go. I was also trying to apologize for all of my poor decisions.

Jasper, Alice and even Renesmee were in cahoots, otherwise I would've never been able to pull this stunt off. I brought down my grandmothers china and crystal, and a playlist of soft music on my ipod. I hooked the ipod into the sound system I had installed as a surprise "opening day" gift for Bella's restaurant, I hoped she liked it. The simple centerpiece was flanked by two long tapered candles and the table was dressed with an Italian lace table cloth my mother had purchased for me ages ago, but I'd never used until now.

I heard her ancient truck rumble to a stop in front of the building, slowed my pacing and felt my breathing pick up ten fold. My fingers instinctively flew up to my neck and I could feel my pulse racing. This was either going to be one of the best or worst nights of my life and I had no control over the outcome, it's all up to Bella now. I'm going to try to be the man I should have been all along, I just hope she will give me that chance. To prove that I can be there for her and Renesmee.

The knob turned and she stepped through the door looking around frantically. I'd been standing in the dark for at least 15 minutes so I was well adjusted to the dimness of the room and I couldn't help but swallow hard when I saw how beautiful she looked. Alice and Nessie had certainly outdone themselves.

Her luscious chocolate brown hair cascaded in waves over her shoulders and her dress hugged every curve and accented her figure perfectly. I couldn't see the detail of her make up, but it looked simple and understated, which was fine because Bella didn't really need any make up, she was beautiful no matter what.

She stumbled forward and called out, "Hello? Jasper? What the heck? Where's the fire?"

I flicked the trigger on the lighter I was holding and went to light the first candle, "It's right here." I lit the second candle and set the wand down on the table. As more of the room became illuminated I could see the distress written clearly across her face.

"Edward? Wha...huh? Where's the fire? Jasper called he said there had been a fire." She moved toward the kitchen but I couldn't let her go in there, Jasper was cooking up a storm for us, but I was going to have words with him about his methods.

I gently took Bella by the shoulders and said, "there's no fire Bella, at least nothing more than these candles."

She stilled at my words and looked down at the table next to us. Confusion was written all over her features and she asked again, "so there's no fire?"

"No Bella. No fire." She shook her head as if she was having a hard time believing what I had said.

"So the building is fine?" She was starting to breathe heavier, gulping in large amounts of air.

"Yes, everything is fine, Bella, are you okay?" She began to laugh, "am I OKAY?" she screeched. She let out a loud bark of laughter but as she continued it became more of a cackle, which then morphed into heaving sobs. She had thrown her hands over her face and was coming completely undone. I was going to murder Jasper. She was starting to shake and I was afraid she would pass out or fall over so I guided her down to her chair and pulled out a handkerchief dabbing at the tears that were streaming down her cheeks.

"I'm going to get you some water, please wait here okay?" She still hadn't taken her hands off of her face so the only response I could get from her was a small nod. Jasper looked up from the stove when I came bursting in. "A fire Jasper? Really? You told her the restaurant caught on fire?"

"You said to get her here as quickly as possible." He looked a bit sheepish, but not penitent enough for me.

"Yeah, so I could apologize and declare my intentions to date her, not to give her a heart attack. She's completely hysterical now, thanks." At my words his face fell and he winced as though I'd punched him in the gut.

"Sorry man, it was the first thing that came into my head. You can put it on me, I can take her wrath. I'm a little worried about Alice's wrath though..."

"I'll hold you to that." His cell phone began vibrating on the counter just then and from the look on his face I could tell it was Alice. We would both have a lot of explaining to do. I filled up a glass with water and returned to the dining room. I hurried quickly to Bella's side and handed her the water. She took a few careful sips and set the glass down. She sniffled and wiped the moisture from under her eyes. She looked down at her hands, smiled and whispered, "waterproof," with a small chuckle.

Her breathing was markedly improved and she tentatively looked up into my eyes. "I'm sorry I freaked out, but when you think your whole life has just gone up in flames, it kind of makes you a little crazy. I don't understand why...a fire?"

"Yeah, about that. Not to point fingers, but that was all Jasper. I just wanted to get you here quickly so that I could surprise you with this," I gestured to the room around us. I stood up and walked over to the dimmer switch on the wall. As the house lights came up to a soft glow she gasped as she took in her surroundings.

"Edward!" She began walking around the dining room looking at all the detail work, running her hand along the chair rail. I was rooted in my spot and waited anxiously for her appraisal, even though it was technically my building, this was her space.

She turned to me with shining eyes and a big smile, "is it really finished?" She seemed bewildered and her eyes were still glistening from her tears though a small smile was starting to creep into her expression. She was so beautiful it hurt. I nodded my head.

"As of this afternoon, all the renovations are completely finished." She did another turn around the room and returned to the center table. She pointed an accusing finger at me and said, "you told me three weeks!" I put a hand in my pocket and shrugged.

"After your note on Monday I realized that you were going to be avoiding me at all costs, so I decided to hire a couple of guys and just get it done. I knew it would make you...happy." I looked up from the spot on the floor I'd been staring at intently and, yes, gave her my very best puppy dog face.

At my statement, her head dropped and she groaned a little. It was cute to see her all flustered. "Yes, I was avoiding you. I probably still should, you must think I'm a total nut job."

"No, I wish you'd asked me about Tanya, but I can see how you came to your assumptions. She lives about an hour away from the city, but she works down town, so she keeps a suit here just in case, and since she's my only family close by, she has a key." I lifted my shoulders to indicate that it really was that simple. Bella nodded slowly, "I'm sorry Edward, I really had no right to make such assumptions and judgements of you." She looked now more closely at the table next to us and asked, "so what is all of this?"

"This," I copied her motion, "is my way of trying to apologize for being deceitful, and hopefully getting to know you better." I'd put all my eggs into this basket, not a completely wise move, but one that I hoped would work.

I walked around behind her and pulled out her chair, "Ms. Swan, would you do me the honor of having dinner with me?" She looked hesitant as she remained standing, so I pulled out the big guns and flashed my $8926, grin at her. That was how much my parents had spent on my orthodontics as a teenager. I could see a blush rushing to her cheeks, but she smiled back and took the offered seat.

I looked over at the door to the kitchen and saw that Jasper was looking for my signal, so I nodded in his direction and he came out with our salad course. I noticed Bella shooting daggers in his direction and him mouthing a contrite, "I'm sorry."

I poured Bella a glass of raspberry lemonade. She looked inquisitively at me and I shrugged. "I wasn't sure if you drank or not, I squeezed the lemons myself."

She smiled and took a sip. "That was thoughtful of you Edward, I haven't ever been a fan of alcohol, even more so now with Nessie getting older." I smiled and poured myself a glass and we began eating. The silence was thick but not uncomfortable. Bella "mmmmm'ed" when she tasted the dressing. "Jazz makes the best vinaigrette." I didn't really want to start out with generic first date ice breakers, but I didn't know where else to start.

"Wait a minute, speaking of Jazz, where is that music coming from?" Bella started looking all around the room.

"Oh, that is my little opening day gift to you. I built in a sound system. The speakers are hidden in the walls so it's a seamless look. The controls are in your office in the back. You can put in a CD, turn on the radio, plug in an ipod, or even make announcements." Bella looked at me sort of stunned for a minute. But then a flash of irritation passed over her face.

"Thank you. I'm just not used to...I just haven't...Thank you." She sighed and I saw another tear roll down her cheek. I had to change the subject fast. I wasn't prepared to deal with anymore crying Bella tonight.

"So Bella, how did you get into cooking?" She smiled a little sadly and finished chewing her food.

"I've always loved to cook, though it started out more a necessity, since my mom would burn water whenever she tried to make something. I ended up as the designated chef growing up, but I didn't mind. When Eric passed away, I needed to work to support myself and Nessie. My Mom and Phil had just moved here to Chicago, so I moved back in with them and went to the Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago, finished the Cordon Bleu program and was immediately hired on at _Le Provençale_."

"Nessie mentioned her father the other day when we were playing piano. I'm sorry, I didn't realize that you were a...had been married before." This was a delicate subject and I didn't want to put my foot in my mouth.

"It's okay to say it Edward. I'm a widow." I closed my eyes in acceptance of the word. I'd just always associated widows with little old ladies.

"You must have been young when you got married?" She looked wistful as she stared into the soft glowing flame of the candle.

"We were both 21, we met when we were freshman at Arizona state, we just clicked. I was a book nerd, he was a computer nerd it just...worked. When we graduated we got married. 2 years later Nessie was born and two more after that Eric passed away." She pushed her salad around and appeared to be taking a long stroll down memory lane.

I was sad for her loss, but as anyone might be, especially any doctor, I was acutely curious as to how he had died. She didn't seem to be bothered by my initial questions so I tried another. "If it's not too personal Bella, how did he die?"

"It's okay Edward, I'm sure my therapist took a very nice vacation with all the money I spent on him. I've done my grieving and come to terms with his death. He was diagnosed with cancer when he was a teenager. They operated, did radiation treatment and everything was fine for a while. Shortly after we married, the cancer came back and they did another operation and more radiation and we thought he was finally in remission. When Nessie was a year and a half old, he went in for a routine check up and they discovered cancer in his lymph nodes this time. It had metastasized and spread throughout his body. We spent the last 6 months of his life enjoying every single day."

She smiled softly as a single tear escaped down her cheek. I hadn't expected her to be so forthcoming. It's not often that someone can speak so freely of a spouse's death, even after so many years. I reached across the table and offered my hand to her. She gently placed her hand in mine and I gave it a gentle squeeze. The warm buzz of electricity shot through my arm causing me to tighten my grip on hers a little bit more than was friendly. We both looked up at each other surprised by the connection. I softened my expression and tried to convey my gratitude for her openness about such a difficult subject. "Thank you for sharing that with me. I know it probably wasn't easy."

"I've found it's the best way to keep his memory alive. Nessie was so young when he died, the only thing she has to remember him by are the stories that I tell her and the albums we have." She released my hand and took a deep breath and looked down at her plate. "So what else has Jasper created for us tonight?" As I retracted my arm I opened and closed my fist a few times trying to hang on to the feeling her touch brought me.

"You know, I'm really not sure. I gave him complete creative control over the meal." She smiled at that.

"Then we're in for a delicious treat." Jasper pushed backwards through the swinging kitchen door and turned gracefully holding two covered dishes. He set them down and with a flourish removed the covers.

"Kobe beef tenderloin in a green peppercorn sauce, on a bed of rice pilaf and candied baby carrots on the side." Jasper bowed toward Bella, and whispered in my ear, "dessert is in the fridge, it's all set and ready to go." I nodded my understanding and gave him an appreciative wave as he disappeared into the kitchen. His car was parked in the alley out back, so he wouldn't have to traipse back through the dining room.

I barely had to put any pressure on my knife as it slid through the medallion of beef, it was like butter. As I brought the fork to my mouth I was consumed in my own groan when the delectable morsel touched my tongue. This was the most tender, most delicious piece of meat I'd ever eaten in my life. I think the cow it came from was massaged twice daily before it's demise.

Bella smirked at my reaction, "I told you it would be good."

"You weren't joking. It's absolutely delicious." She hummed in agreement and after swallowing she said, "Jasper is lucky he is this talented otherwise I'd have a mind to send him packing."

I felt the need to stick up for him since it was again, my fault that things had gone off track. "Bella, don't blame him, at least not entirely."

"I know Edward, as a matter of fact, I'm in a fight with all of you, including my daughter." She crossed her arms and pouted a bit. "How long were you planning all of this?"

"Well, getting all the work done, started Monday, but dinner, I just thought of that yesterday."

We ate for a bit enjoying the quiet strains of my music playing in the background. We kept stealing glances at one another, which was encouraging to me and entertaining, since it seemed with every look the stain on Bella's cheeks would deepen. I don't know what she was thinking, but it seemed to embarrass her to death.

Bella put her fork down and looked my way, but this time with more of a question in her eyes. "So Edward, tell me, are you really and M.D.?" I drew in a deep breath and blew it out slowly, she had bared her soul to me, I supposed it was my turn.

"I am, or was rather." She simply nodded and took another bite of dinner. I was momentarily mesmerized by the movement of her lips as she chewed.

"Esme mentioned an incident?" Her voice rose in pitch as she struggled to get the last word out.

I closed my eyes and tried to sort through my feelings and string together a coherent pattern of thought. While I'd "dealt" with things my own way, I was still so conflicted about what happened that night. My parents and Tanya were really the only ones I'd ever given all the details to. But something about Bella Swan compelled me to open up and share. I wanted her to know all of my secrets, as though her knowledge would make me real somehow. Everything up until now was just a shadow, a ghost of reality. If I wanted to get to know everything about her, I was going to have to reveal everything inside of me.

"I was a third year resident, and a cocky one at that. Carlisle Cullen is my father and practically a Super hero in the medical world. The attendings were confident in my abilities, probably more so than was healthy for my ego, I was golden, or so I thought."

I ran my hands through my hair and looked down at my plate. The movement of Bella's hand across the table caught my eye and I gladly twined my fingers with hers. Somehow she could sense how difficult it was for me to talk about this. She caught my eyes and said, "it's okay Edward, you don't have to tell me." I shook my head and closed my eyes briefly. As I gathered my emotions back together I opened my eyes and continued. I'd had this bottled up so tight, I just didn't want to explode when it all came rushing out.

"One night a huge MVA came into the ER. We were short staffed and had 3 severely injured people on their way in. A father, his daughter, and the driver of the truck that hit them. At first glance the daughter seemed to be least critical, so the attending assigned me to her case.

After I started assessing her injuries, it became clear that she was much worse off than we first thought. Everything was happening so quickly and I started getting lost in the procedures. She coded twice and the paddles weren't working. I made the snap decision that we needed to crack her chest open. From there everything went down hill.

Her blood pressure plummeted and we couldn't replace the blood she was losing fast enough. After more than an hour of working on her she was dead. I refused to give up though. It took Dr. Abrams, and 2 orderlies to pull me out of the room. It looked like a war zone afterwards. Instead of saving that girl, I destroyed her. Her fragile little body was so broken, and exposed. I took away her future, I took away that man's daughter, I took his future as well."

Bella squeezed my hand and whispered, "oh Edward, I'm so sorry." I smiled weakly at her words of comfort.

"During the review of conduct, all of the different things I should have and could have done were thrown in my face. It was hell reliving my absolute worst nightmare over and over. At the end of the panel, it was decided that my actions constituted a gross negligence in conduct and that I would be put on administrative leave for 6 months.

My father tried to convince me to stay, but I couldn't. I couldn't even go near the hospital without getting sick. I had to have a buddy of mine clear out my locker and bring me my stuff. I left New Hampshire and never looked back." I slumped down in my seat and tried to shake the weight off of my shoulders, but I still felt so completely responsible for that little girl's death.

"What was her name?" I scrunched my eyebrows up and looked at Bella, though she pressed through the pain that was evident on my face. "The little girl, what was her name?"

"Chelsea Brown. I'll never forget her face, freckles and dark blue eyes, her hair was dirty blond in pigtails. She was only 7," I whispered. I faintly registered the sound of the chair scraping the floor when I felt Bella's soft thumb brush against my cheek. She was kneeling right next to me and all I wanted to do was wrap her up in my arms just like I'd done when I first met her.

She saved me the trouble of deciding though when she tentatively put her arms around my shoulders. I encircled my own arms around her torso and clung to her like a drowning man to a life preserver. It was like she was absorbing all of the hurt and pain I had held on to for so long. She gently pulled back from me and looked into my eyes. "What about the truck driver?"

"What do you mean?"

"What happened to the truck driver?" Not even Esme had ever asked me that.

"He was fine, just a broken nose from hitting the steering wheel and a little whip lash. He wasn't really drunk but he'd had a few beers earlier in the night. His reaction timing was impaired and he didn't break fast enough at a red light. He plowed into their completely stopped car."

"Edward, you did everything you could at the time to save that little girl. That truck driver killed her. He was the worst kind of reckless, his actions had no regard for life. He killed her."

I looked down into her deep brown eyes and became lost at sea. Leaning forward I could feel her warm breath on my cheek, and could hear her shallow breathing. She kept her arms around me and I could feel her muscles tense. I closed my eyes and allowed myself to just feel the closeness of our contact.

I allowed the tip of my nose to graze the side of her cheek slowly getting closer to hers. Our lips were nearly touching and the feeling of our shared breaths charged my body with anticipation.

I had come as far as I could, I needed her to take the last step, if we were going to do this, I wanted her to be in total control of her decision. She brushed her lips just to the side of mine as if testing my reaction. I turned slightly toward her, willing her, silently begging her to come a little bit closer.

"Edward," she breathed out, as if saying a prayer.

"Bella," I pleaded. I opened my eyes just barely and saw that she was observing me through heavy lidded eyes as well. I circled my arms a bit tighter around her and brushed my own lips along her jaw ending at her chin. I felt her body relax and in one motion she had turned into my embrace and softly pressed her lips to mine. I gently lifted her into my lap and pressed my lips more firmly to hers.

Her mouth was so much softer than I'd imagined and as much as I wanted to hold her and never let her go, I had to let her set the pace. She sucked gently on my bottom lip pulling it slowly in between her teeth. I eagerly reciprocated by taking her top lip into my mouth and running my tongue over the tempting flesh.

They always talk about fireworks and bright lights behind your eyes, but it was only this kiss that had ever elicited such feelings in me. I'd never understood that until now.

I slowly pulled back and placed one, two more soft kisses on her lips. Her body had become almost completely limp in my arms and when I looked at her flushed face, I couldn't help the grin that spread across my own.

"Wow," I said breathlessly.

"Wow," she concurred. As she slowly became more aware of her surroundings, she started to wiggle herself off of my lap but I held her still.

"Thank you Bella, I've been wanting to do that since the first day I met you." She groaned and covered her eyes with one hand.

"Please lets never mention that first day." She slowly stood up and returned to her seat leaving me feeling empty.

"Hmm, I seem to remember quite a few _juicy_ details about that day." I smiled remember her rear end stuck in the air.

"Don't make me regret kissing you Edward, or it might not happen again." With that I closed my mouth with an audible snap.

"Ms. Swan, I plan on sharing many more kisses with you, if you'll let me." She blushed and then looked down at her lap. When she looked back up at me her eyes were shining.

"Edward, I...haven't really dated, anyone since Eric died." She looked expectantly at me, but I didn't know what to say. She worried her bottom lip and said, "just...please be careful with me, with my heart. Eric was my first love, I just...ahhh. I don't know what I'm doing okay?"

I sighed and reached across the table with both of my hands and took hers in mine. "I'll be careful with you, if you'll promise to be careful with me. I don't really know what I'm doing either."

"Could've fooled me," she mumbled. I smiled and shook my head a bit. "I know I'm 34 but I haven't had many girlfriends either. I was always too busy with school or work, this is all...Bella, I have never felt this way about anyone before. I promise I will take care of your heart as if it was my own."

We sat in silence for a few more minutes, both of us with probably the most ridiculous goo goo eyes but it was in that moment that I realized I never wanted to be without Bella.

"So how about some dessert?" I stood up and hurried into the kitchen fetching the plate from the refrigerator. Jasper had only prepared one dish and I wondered if he had taken lessons from Alice, on how to set up impossibly tempting situations. When I returned Bella asked, "is that what I think it is?"

I looked down at the square dish of brown fluff and shrugged my shoulder. I placed it in front of Bella who quickly grabbed her spoon and scooped out a small bite. I watched transfixed as she placed the spoon in her mouth and slowly drew it out scraping off every last bit of chocolate from the utensil.

"Ohhhh maaahhh goooooodnefffffff," she moaned. I was captivated, just watching her eat. I couldn't believe this had gone so well. I couldn't believe she had kissed me. Maybe there was still something left inside of me worth loving, and if that was the case, I was going to be the best I could be; for her.

"So?" I asked clearing my throat and shifting from side to side, trying to sound casual, struggling to subdue the rising tide of desire I had for this living goddess, this perfect beauty beside me.

She swallowed and nodded her head, "Jasper's famous orange chocolate mousse." She mmmm'ed again and I forced myself to sit down and remember that I was a gentleman, chivalrous, and gracious; though I really could have cared less about the dessert. All I wanted to do was gather Bella up in my arms and kiss her long and hard and never let her go, but I pushed those feelings aside. I respected her more than that; I respected myself more than that, but not much. I pulled my seat close to hers and picked up my spoon, but before I could dig in, she lifted up her spoon and offered it to me.

The hunger for more than just dessert had to be pouring from my eyes as I wrapped my mouth around the spoon. We took turns feeding each other until the dessert was done.

I slowly blew out the candles and took Bella's hand to help her up. She started gathering the dishes when I stopped her and shook my head.

"Don't worry about them, I'll take care of all this. Let me walk you home?" She nodded shyly and picked up her purse that she'd dropped near the front door hours ago.

We walked slowly up the stairs to her apartment. She unlocked the door and stood there for a moment awkwardly jingling her keys. "Edward, tonight was wonderful. Even though I nearly had a heart attack, the dinner and the company more than made up for it."

"I hope that we've turned the page on everything that happened before Bella, I'd really like to see where this takes us." I reached up and grazed her cheek with the back of my fingers.

"So would I Edward." She stepped closer to me and I let my hand drift down from her cheek to the back of her neck while my other hand snaked around her waist drawing her body back into mine. She reached both of her hand around my neck and blistered me with another searing kiss.

She stumbled into her apartment and turned slowly to face me again. "Goodnight Isabella." She smiled softly as she gently closed the door. I floated back down to the restaurant on cloud nine and cleaned up all of the dishes and food, I'd take care of the rest tomorrow. Tonight all I wanted to do was replay the memory of Bella's lips on mine.

**A/N: So again thank you to Sweetthunder for keeping horndog Edward in check, and for keeping Bella sober. And now here's some tasty dinner recipes...Oh yeah, a review would be loverly!**

**Steak au Poivre**

* 4 tenderloin steaks, 6 to 8 ounces each and no more than 1 1/2 inches thick

* Kosher salt

* 2 tablespoons whole peppercorns (the mixed fancy kind are pretty)

* 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

* 1 teaspoon olive oil

* 1/3 cup Cognac, plus 1 teaspoon ( you could sub beef broth if you don't want alcohol)

* 1 cup heavy cream

**Directions**

Remove the steaks from the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour prior to cooking. Sprinkle all sides with salt.

Coarsely crush the peppercorns with a mortar and pestle, the bottom of a cast iron skillet, or using a mallet and pie pan. Spread the peppercorns evenly onto a plate. Press the fillets, on both sides, into the pepper until it coats the surface. Set aside.

In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and olive oil. As soon as the butter and oil begin to turn golden and smoke, gently place the steaks in the pan. For medium-rare, cook for 4 minutes on each side. Once done, remove the steaks to a plate, tent with foil and set aside. Pour off the excess fat but do not wipe or scrape the pan clean.

Off of the heat, add 1/3 cup Cognac to the pan and carefully ignite the alcohol with a long match or firestick. Gently shake pan until the flames die. Return the pan to medium heat and add the cream. Bring the mixture to a boil and whisk until the sauce coats the back of a spoon, approximately 5 to 6 minutes. Add the teaspoon of Cognac and season, to taste, with salt. Add the steaks back to the pan, spoon the sauce over, and serve.

**Mousse Au Chocolate**

(This is my real french recipe so the measurements are metric, I'll try and ball park it, but if you have a scale that would be better)

200 g (7/8 C) unsalted butter (NO margarine)

250 g (8-10 oz or 1 ½ C) dark or semi sweet chocolate

60 g (1/4 C) sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Zest of 1 orange

5 eggs +1egg white

**Directions**

In a double boiler, melt the chocolate. Cream the butter and mix it into the chocolate, it should be shiny and smooth.

Separate the eggs, keep the whites. Add yolks to the chocolate one at a time stirring well after each one. Add Orange zest and vanilla to the chocolate and stir until smooth.

Whip Egg whites with the sugar until stiff. Fold cooled chocolate mixture in with the egg whites. Pour into separate serving cups and chill until set.

You can add chunks of chocolate before you chill, and serve with a dollop of whipped cream.


	13. Clean up is a Breeze

**A/N: Thanks again for the fabulous reviews! And thanks as always to Sweetthunder for spiffin' things up.**

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Tapas at Twilight**

**Chapter 12: Clean up is a Breeze**

**BPOV**

I rolled over on to my back, flipped my pillow over, and kicked my feet out searching for the last little cool spot on my sheets. The grin that had been plastered on my face since last night was still there, and probably would be for a while. I allowed myself a few more minutes to sleep in, afraid that when I got up it would all be a dream.

The bad news is that nature called and I had to get up, the good news is that it wasn't a dream. With my morning routine out of the way I rummaged in the kitchen for something to eat. Not feeling like cooking, I poured myself a big bowl of _Cinnamon Life_ and had just capped the milk when I heard the front door open.

"Mom?"

I rounded the corner out of the kitchen with my bowl in hand. Nessie wore a smile as wide as the Cheshire cat, Alice was studying her nails conveniently avoiding my stare-down, and Jasper was trying to hide behind Alice, going so far as to hunch his shoulders and bend his knees. I narrowed my gaze at all of them.

"You three have some 'splaining to do. I would expect this from Alice, but Nessie! My own flesh and blood, you were in on it too?" She could tell I wasn't really mad so she nodded and continued grinning at me. I set the bowl down on the side table and head over to them. I got right up to Jasper and fake punched him on the nose. "And Jasper, you and I are so in a fight right now. You're lucky Edward didn't have to haul me to the hospital with heart failure."

"I know Bells, I'm sorry. If it makes you feel any better Alice already read me the riot act." He shoved his hands further down into his pockets and looked fairly haggard. I'm sure once Alice found out his scheme she'd laid into him. She might be tiny, but she could be scary when she wanted too.

"But Bella," chimed Alice, "did you have a good time?" She was hopeful and expectant, and I had a mind to make them all squirm. But truth be told, I was still so high from the night before, I needed to tell someone. I was so happy I gathered them all up in the biggest hug I could.

"I had a lovely evening. Edward was the perfect gentleman, and the food was fantastic. Thank you Jasper for dinner, it was fabulous. And thanks to my beauty squad for making sure I looked presentable. Though I wish I had my spanx on."

"Oh pshaw, you have a fabulous mommy bod. Now details please?" Alice looked completely innocent as she crossed her arms and waited patiently, but I knew better. She was about to pounce. Nessie had crossed her arms and popped out her hip just like Alice and was looking at me with all of the hope and expectation that she would get in on this grown up conversation. There was NO WAY that was going to happen.

"Nessie, how would you like to take a super deluxe bubble bath?" She still had the remnants of the make up that Alice must have put on her after I left. And to say that her hair was on the 'maybe she was struck by lightening' side was an understatement.

I could see she was disappointed. "How about with the special strawberry bubbles?"

"OK," she could see she had no chance of winning this one.

I ruffled her hair and led her to the bathroom. She grabbed a change of clothes while I started the bath and poured in the bubble soap. I made sure to add a little extra so the bubbles would be just a little out of control.

"Thanks mom." I closed the door and returned to the living room only to find Alice and Jasper canoodling on my now closed up futon.

"Ahem," I cleared my throat.

"Sorry Bells, didn't mean to get carried away." Alice looked contrite and tried to re-spike the portions of hair that had received a bit too much attention.

"At least you kept it PG. Thanks for putting up the futon Jasper, you didn't have to do that."

"It's no problem Bella." There was a brief pause in the conversation so I began to shovel bites of my now soggy cereal into my mouth. Alice of course picked that very moment to begin her inquisition.

I held up a finger and took my sweet time chewing. The water in the bathroom shut off and I could faintly hear Nessie singing to herself. I swallowed and took a deep breath.

"Alice, I'm not going to kiss and tell." I then scooped up another big bite of breakfast and began chewing.

"Squeeeeeee!! So he kissed you?" I nodded

"Was it a good first kiss?" I nodded emphatically giving her the perfect sign.

"Did your toes curl or did your foot pop?" I held up one foot and wiggled my toes.

"I knew it would work out. You did get everything worked out right?" By this point in the questioning I had finished the bite I'd been working on and could answer her properly.

"Yes, we did, it was quite the history lesson for both of us." I swallowed the last bit of milk in my bowl and took it to the sink. "Did you guys have breakfast?"

"Jasper brought donuts and hot chocolate."

"I'll bet Ness was thrilled." That child would be a walking sugar cube if I didn't make sure she ate her vegetables. At least she didn't fight me too hard about it.

"So I had some ideas about marketing and promoting the opening of Tapas. Jasper and I went to that new club down the street,"

"Oh, you mean The Cave?" I added an ominous dun-dun-dun and held my hands up like bear claws and swiped at Alice and Jasper from across the room. I had driven past it a few times and always thought it was kind of a strange name for a night Club.

"Yeah, the one with the grizzly on the sign. So anyway, Jazz got to talking with the owner, Emmett, and he's arranged a meeting with him about possibly cross promoting your food there and his club here." Alice was clapping her hands in excitement while my brain took off at a hundred miles an hour with all the possibilities.

"Jasper, that's great news! It would be fantastic if we could work something out, maybe supply them every weekend with different foods for people to try. And while we're talking about it, I'd like to canvas the neighborhood with flyers and coupons, Alice maybe you could get in touch with some of the foodie websites and bloggers, especially gapersblock dot com, and let them know about the opening. If Emmett is on board, maybe we could even have a preview tasting at his club a couple of nights before the grand opening. Come to think of it, we should send stuff over to Oprah too. I'm sure it'll just end up in the trash, but we can try right?"

"I think we can manage all of that, but why don't we focus on the go-see first. Once you charm the socks off of Mr. McCarty we can move on to all of those other plans."

"So when's the meeting?"

"Tomorrow at 2pm."

"WHAT? That's not a whole lot of notice." I began calculating how many dishes I'd be able to try before the meeting and the ingredients I'd need. "Okay guys, lets start brainstorming menus." We got to work and came up with at least two dozen different ideas and the corresponding grocery list. I knew we wouldn't be able to make all of the dishes tonight, but we were going to try.

Nessie came out with her comb and a bottle of de-tangler. She plopped down on the floor in front of my knees and I spritzed her hair and began combing out sections of her unruly locks. If we didn't do this she ended up with a frizzy mess. One of the mean boys in her class called her bushwhacker once on a bad hair day, and she'd been self-conscious about it ever since.

By the time I had finished combing through Renesmee's hair, Alice was folding up the completed grocery list for _Edgewater Produce_. I was more than giddy to break in my new kitchen, even though Jasper got to try it out first. I took a quick shower and threw on my comfortable black work pants and a white t-shirt, grabbed one of my chef's coats and we all made our way downstairs. I didn't want to carry my coat with me to the store so I told everyone I'd meet them outside in a second. I entered through one of the back doors which led directly into the kitchen.

I heard water running and the clanging of pots and pans together. As I stepped into _my_ domain, I smiled as I saw Edward bent over one of the large stainless steel sinks scrubbing away at a large sauté pan. He had on his work jeans and a skinny black ribbed tank affording me another glorious view of his muscled back. I could see his head bobbing up and down rhythmically before I caught sight of the ear buds and guessed he was rockin' out.

I snuck up behind him and yanked one of the buds out of his ear. "Hey there," I said with maybe a little too much enthusiasm in my voice. He jumped and dropped the pan splashing water from the sink all over the both of us.

"Gahh, who's trying to give who the heart attack now?" He shot a playful grimace in my direction. "Now I'm all wet Ms. Swan, you leave me no option." In one motion he whipped of his tank top and tossed it toward the door.

I stood there gawking once again at his bare chest, my fingers itching to trace the outline of his washboard abs. I swallowed audibly and he moved a bit closer to me leaning one hand on the edge of the sink.

"If you keep staring I may have to start charging you for the peep show." I felt my eyes grow wide and my cheeks burst into flames. I realized I still had one ear bud in my hand so I popped it in and turned toward the sink picking up another pan and scrubbing at it. He chuckled and moved right next to me and resumed washing the pan he had dropped.

"Plain White T's huh?" He simply nodded and kept scrubbing. "This song always makes me happy." I began bouncing along to the song as I rinsed off the pan I'd been working on. I gasped when I felt another splash of tepid water.

Edward was fumbling in the sink trying to pick up the dropped pan once again. "Sorry Bella, I was just...uh...never mind. Sorry." He had his eyes squeezed shut and his arms were tensed on the edge of the sink. All of a sudden I felt extremely awkward, and wasn't quite sure how to act around him.

"Well, I wish I could stay and help you finish the dishes but Alice, Jasper and Nessie are waiting for me by the car. We're going shopping for some supplies to test recipes. Sooo I'll just head out." I started to turn around when I felt Edward's hand on my wrist.

He tugged me gently toward him and cupped my cheek in his hand. "I...I just wanted to tell you I had an amazing time last night Bella." He leaned in toward me and quickly licked his bottom lip,_ stop it, that's my job. _I raised up on my tip toes and held on to his shoulders as our lips pressed together. He circled his other arm around my waist and pulled me closer to him. We fit together so well, he was the like the missing puzzle piece in my life, with the restaurant about to open, I felt like my puzzle was almost complete.

It was then that I remembered that he had no shirt on and while my mind started freaking out about that my hands had other ideas. I let my hands drift across his wide shoulders and was about to drop them down to his waist when I heard a reverberating cat call and two girly voices singing.

"Bella and Edward sittin' in a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G," Alice and Nessie began giggling and I think I turned 15 different shades of red. Edward placed one more sweet peck on my lips before releasing me.

"Shoo all of you, I'll be out in two minutes." I made sweeping motions behind them sending them out the door. Edward gave a little toodle wave to Nessie as she and Alice backed out of the kitchen. Jasper followed but not before whispering in my ear, "dang woman you work fast." I punched him in the shoulder, "shut it Jasper." I let out a big sigh and turned toward Edward again.

"Well, I'd better get going," I was sad about having our moment ruined. I found myself wanting to see him again sooner than later, which struck me as funny seeing as how I had been trying to avoid him at all costs up until last night. "Maybe you could come by later tonight and be our taste tester?"

"Sure that sounds great," Edward paused and ran a hand through his hair and looked pointedly into my eyes. I held his gaze for a moment before I noticed his eyes flick quickly toward my chest and back up to my eyes.

"Uh, Bella, you might want to change your shirt before you go."

"Huh?" I looked down and quickly crossed my arms across my chest. "Crap, um sorry..." I turned my back to him and side stepped around him to where my purse was. I mumbled under my breath, "charge you for a peep show." I guess he heard me because I felt his hands on my shoulders and I tensed trying not to let my embarrassment overcome me.

"Bella, I wasn't trying to be rude, I just didn't want you going out in public not realizing," he whispered, causing shivers to run through my body. I nodded still trying to get a grip on my emotions. "I'll see you later tonight around 7?" I nodded again and turned my cheek up toward Edward's face. "Thank you Edward," I whispered, and placed a soft kiss on his cheek. I shuffled away and stole one more glance over my shoulder and threw a quick wave as I passed through the doorway.

I sprinted up the stairs to my apartment, threw on a new shirt and hustled back down the stairs. I managed to only trip on the last stair and fortunately was able to grab the door knob before I went down.

Alice didn't say anything about my new shirt, at least she didn't say anything with her mouth. Her eyes told a completely different story. Fortunately Renesmee hadn't picked up on the difference in the two white t-shirts.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

When we got back from the grocery store I noticed that the protective paper that we'd taped in the front windows had been taken down and the glass was sparkling clean. I smiled inwardly at Edward's thoughtfulness. I had so grossly misjudged him and his intentions, he really was too good for me. I still couldn't understand how was it that our mothers were friends yet it took so long for us to meet? I guess the timing just had to be perfect. And I had almost ruined that timing by getting so wrapped up in my own assumptions and pride.

I opened the door for everyone and we began unloading bags and bags of groceries. As Jasper lifted the last bag out of my truck a strikingly beautiful blonde woman strode up the sidewalk and stopped right in front of me.

Jasper shot me a look silently asking if I'd be okay so I nodded and he retreated into the restaurant. I watched as this woman peered into my restaurant and seemed to scan the whole place. Her lips pulled into a slight frown and she shook her head slightly. She asked, "are you the owner?" not even bothering to face me.

"I am, how can I help you?"

"I've been waiting forever for you guys to take the paper out of the windows. Finally, it's down, so I figured you'd be opening soon."

"2 weeks. The opening is set for 2 weeks. Was there something else you needed?"

"Yeah, I'm here for my job." She finally turned and faced me looking expectantly. What she was expecting I wasn't exactly sure.

"I'm sorry _your_ job?"

"Yes, _my _job. This is where I work."

"Did Jasper hire you?" This woman was practically certifiable.

"Who the heck is Jasper?"

"If you don't know Jasper, then may I ask why it is you think you work here?"

"Look, I worked for Fat Tony before they got shut down by the health department, I was here when this place sold Mexican and Gyros, and I managed to live through the last debacle without a rap sheet, and now that this place is reincarnated, I'm here for _my_ job. You do need a wait staff don't you?"

I stood there dumbfounded as this woman rattled off each of the restaurants that had occupied this space. I began to worry that maybe the building was haunted or had a curse or something. Her tenacity was impressive, and I did in fact need a wait staff, but the biggest question lay unanswered. _Was she any good?_

I reached out my hand to her, "I didn't get your name, I'm Bella Swan."

She looked at my hand like I had thrust a dead fish at her. She finally shook my hand firmly and replied, "Rosalie Hale."

"Well Rosalie Hale, come on inside and lets see what you can do."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I was still shaking my head as I chopped up marinated artichokes. Jasper was working on a chorizo dish and was nodding in complete approval. "She comes off a little..."

"Prickly?" I supplied. Jasper smiled ruefully, "Yeah, I guess that would be one way to put it. But she's a darn good waitress."

"I thought for sure we had her with the 4 top plus drinks, and 2 checks, but she totally nailed it without breaking a sweat." Well, I had one waitress, 2 more to go. "Jasper, how's the hunt for the line and prep cooks?"

"Not bad, I'm still working on Riley from _The Capital Grill_, but I'm pretty sure Kate from _Coq d'Or_ is on board." Now he was grinning like a fool.

"You are freaking kidding me. From the Drake?" Kate had gone to school with Jasper and had been at the Drake hotel for at least 4 years and had seen no movement, despite the fact that she was one of the best prep chefs around.

"Yeah, I guess she's feeling a bit disgruntled that several male co-workers have received bonuses and promotions while she's been relatively overlooked."

I shook my head, too frequently female chefs were passed over or ignored in this business. Well their loss is most definitely our gain. "That, Jasper is very good news."

"Mom, Mom! Look at what Alice taught me how to do!" Nessie came bursting in the kitchen and held up a very fancy napkin swan.

"That is a beautiful swan Nessie very nicely done." Alice high fived Nessie just as Edward walked in through the kitchen door. His eyes were bright and the smile that lit up his face when his eyes met mine was breathtaking.

"What are we celebrating?" He asked curiously.

"Well, first and foremost, Nessie has become proficient at making napkin swans." He took the offered creation from my daughter and examined it thoroughly.

"Not bad, but what about this?" Edward then shook out the swan napkin and began rolling and folding it into a different shape. When he was finished he held it up proudly and said, "Ta da!"

"What is that supposed to be?" Asked Nessie.

"It's a chicken! Come on, you can't see that?"

"Ed-ward," she pushed his arm in playful annoyance.

"I don't know I think it kind of looks like a chicken." He grumbled under his breath, handing the chicken napkin back to Nessie. I just shook my head at his antics. He looked up at me and flashed a grin, "so what else are we celebrating?"

"Well second, we think we've got the kitchen staff covered," Edward nodded in approval, "and third, I just hired a waitress."

He looked impressed at the rundown of events that I'd listed. "That's great Bella, that's really great." He said as he placed a quick kiss on my cheek, causing Nessie to giggle again. "Well something sure smells good, I'm ready to taste test." He announced rubbing his hands together. I half expected to see him plop down at a table, stuff a napkin in the neck of his shirt and two-fist a knife and fork.

Jasper and I began plating all the different dishes we'd tried and we spent the rest of the evening sampling each one again and again.

We were all completely stuffed by the time we'd decided on the dishes we'd take to the go-see at _The Cave._ As we were cleaning up I noticed Nessie curling up in one of the chairs and resting her head on the table, yawning from complete exhaustion.

"Do you want me to take her upstairs?" Edward asked quietly.

"Yeah that would be great. I'll be up in just a minute." Edward scooped up my daughter effortlessly and I couldn't help but feel grateful that he had connected with her so well. Renesmee was more important to me than anything else in the world and Edward got that. He didn't seem jealous, or annoyed. In fact it seemed that she had him wrapped around her little finger.

We finished up all the dishes and wiped down all the work surfaces, I said goodbye to Alice and Jasper, locked up the front and plodded up the stairs. I'd gotten out of the habit of grueling restaurant work days and was dreadfully out of practice.

I quietly pushed open the door to my apartment and kicked off my crocs next to the closet. I heard soft murmuring from Nessie's room so I tip toed down the hallway and peeked around the door.

Edward was sitting on the bed, his back resting on the head board, feet outstretched in front of him, reading _Anne of Green Gables_. That was one of her favorite books but she was snuggled up next to Edward already fast asleep. Not that I could blame her, Edward's voice, especially the soft melodic way he was reading right now, would put an insomniac to sleep, it was that soothing. He looked down at Nessie and smiled with a tenderness I hadn't seen in a very long time and then grinned back up at me.

I padded over to his side and took the book from his hands and placed it on the night stand. Edward stood up and gently tucked the covers around my baby. I reached my hand out toward him and he followed me out to the living room.

"Edward? Do you think Nessie could come down tomorrow while we're at the meeting to work on polishing her recital piece? It's at 2 so she'd come down around 1:30, hopefully we'll be done by 3 or 3:30. Would that be okay?"

"Yeah, that should be no problem, we picked out a good recital piece for her and I'd like to see how hard she's been working on it."

"The recital is in a week and a half, on Wednesday. Were you planning on coming?"

"I wouldn't miss it." Edward looked so proud of Nessie, and after only one lesson, it was cute to see how he'd taken to her so quickly. They were like two peas in a pod.

"Thanks for dinner Bella, everything was delicious, well except for that one..."

"I know, I know," I chuckled, "that one will definitely not be on the menu. Though it _is_ a delicacy in many parts of the world." He rolled his eyes and shook his head no.

"You're gonna do great. I can tell it's going to be a success." He reached up and rubbed both of my shoulders.

"I hope so, this is my dream Edward." He looked deeply into my eyes and smiled as he leaned down for a soft kiss. Our lips moved softly, sucking and tasting, stirring up long dormant feelings with in me. He gently withdrew and reached around and drew me in to his embrace. He hugged me so tightly, I couldn't help but feel the depth of his emotions. He whispered into my ear, "One, two, three, four."

I smiled and buried my face into the side of his neck, thinking about our little ipod escapade in the kitchen this morning. I pulled back and smiled softly, "ditto." We shared a few more little kisses and wished each other good night.

I had so many overpowering emotions swirling around inside of me it was a wonder I wasn't a blubbering pile of goo. Edward and I were in a good place, a very good place. He was amazing with my daughter, the restaurant was coming together, everything was looking up and I was feeling better than I had in a very long time.

**A/N: Okay everyone all together now... AWWWWWW! Aren't they cute. Let me know what you guys thought! Restaurant is moving forward, Rose and Emmett are finally on the scene...all is well in paradise right?**

**The song is Plain White T's 1234, youtube link is on my profile.**

**This recipe comes from OliviaJane (with a little twist from me) so big thanks to her! Mwah!**

**Artichoke Crab dip**

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1-12 oz. jar marinated artichoke SALAD, drained, chopped

1-12 oz. jar marinated artichokes, drained, chopped

1 c mayo ( I use Hellmann's Light)

3 cloves garlic, minced or 1 ½ tsp garlic powder

1 c shredded parmesan cheese (use the good stuff, not the kraft powder stuff)

1 c mozzarella or Italian Blend shredded cheese

Optional:

1 c fresh lump crab meat (fresh or jarred, but make sure it's good quality)

Stir together all ingredients, fold in the crab at the very end try not to break up the lumps too much. Pour into an 8 x 11.5 baking dish that has been sprayed with Pam (Bella would probably rub the dish with butter). Bake for 30 minutes, until hot and bubbly.

Serve with pita chips, toast points, crusty baguette, or veggies.


	14. Bear Food and Flowers

**A/N: **The Wrong Flower** made it to the second round of voting for Bronzehairedgirl620's epic T rated contest. Please Please Please go over to her profile and drop another vote for it! Thanks so much to everyone who voted in round one!**

**And I know I told some of you guys that Rose and Emmett would meet during this chapter, but I just looked over my outline and that's not planned until NEXT chapter. **

**Thanks again to Sweetthunder for her mad beta skills!**

**

* * *

Tapas At Twilight**

**Chapter 13: Bear Food and Flowers**

**BPOV**

The morning was spent in a frenzy of activity as Jasper and I skillfully put together dish after dish for Emmett to sample. We worked together like a well oiled machine. Ness was shuttling cold things into the fridge while Alice was manning the warming trays.

By one o'clock everything was ready and packed up into my truck. Nessie ran upstairs to get her music and met me on the landing in front of Edward's apartment. I knocked twice and waited tapping my foot. Nessie looked up at me with her big brown eyes and smiled.

"They're gonna love your food mom. Don't be nervous." I reached down and hugged her tight. I suppose I was a little high strung and Nessie could always read my moods so well, she knew just what to say. A little perspective goes a long way.

"Thanks sweet pea, I hope we can get this deal worked out." The door opened to a freshly washed Edward, even though he had his shirt on, the sight of him still took my breath away.

"How are my girls?" Renesmee giggled like a 10 year old little girl should, the fact that I giggled was a little was more embarrassing. I could feel the warmth spread over my cheeks as I took in Edward's amused expression. Nessie held her arms out for a hug and Edward happily obliged her, spinning once, and set her down again. "Start on your scales okay Ness?" He prodded her toward the piano and then turned to me reaching his hands up to rub soothing circles on my shoulders. It was amazing how natural this felt, we were still so new to each other, but everything he did, every word he said, felt old and familiar, comforting.

"You look anxious," he correctly appraised. The roiling in my stomach was making me green. I was positive that I'd get to The Cave, trip, and spill food all over Emmett, or he would hate everything we had made and throw us out. I did my research and knew that this club was really popular, good press would go a long way toward filling seats on opening night. I nodded holding my breath and tried to get my wild imagination under control before I had a self-fulfilling prophecy on my hands.

"Breathe Bella, you're going to blow this guy out of the water. Or maybe I should say out of The Cave." He began to chuckle at his own silly joke.

"Hush, if this works out, we'll be business partners, so no making fun of his establishment." Edward put a mask of contrition on and nodded solemnly. "Yes ma'am. Now come here, I have something for you." Edward held my checks in both of his hands and tilted my face up to him. He leaned down and kissed me so sweetly, I'm sure I'd wind up with a cavity.

"Good luck," he whispered, not moving more than a breath away from me.

"Mmmmm I need all the luck I can get." I murmured against his lips. I stepped further into his arms and threaded my fingers into his hair. He leaned down and placed another soft kiss on my waiting lips. I felt him break into a smile as I pressed myself more firmly against his chest. The piano grew silent and I peeked one eye open to see Edward reach behind his back and roll his hand silently telling Nessie to quit spying. The piano scales resumed and Edward continued his assault on my lips. With another brief but satisfying kiss I pulled back.

"Go knock'im dead."

"I will." I smiled weakly as Edward gave me a squeeze on my shoulders and retreated into his apartment.

I made my way out to my old truck where Jasper and Alice were waiting. We piled into the cab and made our way over to The Cave. The doors were all closed and it looked like the place was deserted. There was only one other vehicle in the lot when we arrived. Jasper hopped out and ran up to the black steel door knocking soundly. Alice and I began gathering the cooler and warming trays.

I was coming around the rear of the truck when a booming voice greeted Jasper. I looked up and saw exactly why this club was called The Cave. The man truly looked like a bear. He was huge and built like . His black t-shirt clung to his muscular biceps and tucked into the slim waist of his jeans. His legs, even covered up, looked like raw power. He could have easily been on the "world's strongest man" competition. His face, though, was a complete contradiction to his build. He had a jovial, cherub-like countenance that just made you smile. He had close cropped dark brown hair and his playful eyes invited you in so that you couldn't help but feel happy when that dimple popped up on his cheek. He jogged down the steps and extended his hand out to me.

"Hey you must be Bella! Jasper's told me quite a bit about yo...hey something smells good already."

I chuckled a bit at his typical male reaction, men were so easily ruled by their stomachs! "And you must be Emmett? It's nice to meet you and thank you so much for considering this arrangement."

He smiled widely and tried to sneak a peek under one of the foil covered trays. "Hey if this stuff is as good as it smells, I think I'm getting the better end of the deal. As a general rule, I never say no to food."

"Well, then lets not waste any time, shall we?"

Emmett picked up the full cooler like it weighed nothing and Jasper carried in the warming trays. Alice and I followed them into the club with a few smaller dishes. The house lights were on so I got the full view of the very rustic decór. All of the tables and chairs were made of rough-hewn logs, the walls were textured like the inside of a cave, but the pièce de résistance was a giant 10 foot grizzly bear overlooking the dance floor. It was stuffed and mounted in a menacing pose that had me completely mesmerized.

I felt the imposing presence of Emmett saunter up next to me as I gawked at the large beast. He shoved his hands deep into his pockets and rocked back on his heels.

"That was the sucker who gave me this," he pulled up his shirt and turned his torso toward me. He had 3 distinct gash marks running diagonal across the left part of his abdomen. I could tell from the light pink of the scars that the wounds had been healed for quite some time, but they were impressive none-the-less.

"A buddy and me were hunting big game and came up unawares on that one," he pointed to the large animal. "Guess he was still trying to catch a few zzz's before spring woke him up."

"He's huge," I marveled, then looked down at the gashes on Emmett's torso. "Those look pretty nasty."

"Yeah, you know how they say you don't have to be able to out run a bear, just the guy you're with, well, I was the slow poke that day. At least Joe was able to get a clean shot off and I got the awesome battle scars and the trophy." He tucked his shirt back in and clapped a large hand on my shoulder causing me to stumble forward a bit. I was just glad that while I'd been staring at the grizzly bear, Alice had come and silently taken the dish out of my hands.

"Well, let's dig in and talk turkey huh?" He showed me to a table where Jasper and Alice had arranged all of the dishes we'd brought.

I began pointing out the different foods and what they were called, Emmett was unabashedly helping himself, which I found amusing. It felt like big brother had beaten me to the dinner table and I was going to have to fend for myself.

Through a mouth full of phyllo dough he mumbled, "Wow, this is really really good." He stopped momentarily and looked at all of us. "What are y'all waiting for? Dig in!"

We each took a plate and filled up on the various offerings we'd brought. We spent the better part of an hour chatting about the club, my restaurant, our ideas, what he had come up with and finished on a very high note. He was more than happy to host a preview tasting 2 days before the grand opening, and I had to contain the squeal that was desperately trying to get out of my system.

He said he'd have his lawyer hammer out a contract agreement and bring it by before the preview party. We put all of the left overs into some disposable plastic containers and left them with Emmett. After exchanging personal contact info we shook hands and said goodbye.

Once we'd exited the parking lot I pumped my fist and let out a "yes!" Alice was clapping her hands and Jasper had to roll down the window to let out a huge "woo hoo!"

We were all talking loudly and animatedly when we got back to the restaurant and I guess Edward and Nessie had heard us banging around. Ness came bounding into the kitchen and threw her arms around my waist as Edward asked, "well? How'd it go?"

I paused for dramatic effect and announced, "Emmett is totally on board!" Nessie screamed an exuberant "yay!" and began dancing in circles with Alice.

"I think his favorite was the chicken skewers with the peanut sauce," commented Jasper.

"Oh my gosh, he totally ate almost the whole plate," said Alice.

Edward reached out and took my hand. His touch still sent little shots of electricity through my entire system. He gave me a little twirl and I settled with my back against his chest. He gently whispered into my ear, "I knew you could do it Love."

I shuddered at his warm breath washing over my neck and looked up at him to see if he caught the fact that he'd just called me "Love", but he'd already turned his gaze to Alice and Nessie.

**EPOV**

_My girls, _I thought as I circled Bella's waist with my arms. I was blown away at the strength of my feelings in just a few short days. Sure, I'd been interested since the moment I'd laid my eyes on Bella, but to think that I had fallen so head over heals had me terrified, in a good way. I felt like everything in my life had been on hold until now. Bella and Nessie were an explosion of energy in what had been a very stagnant existence.

"How about we go to Malnati's to celebrate?" I suggested.

"That sounds good, it's been way too long since I had me a good deep dish." Jasper nodded in a approval.

Nessie had her hands pressed together as if she was praying, and was staring up at her mother pleading silently for a yes. Bella let out a long sigh, and finally said, "I suppo-ose, we could do that." Renesmee beamed and squished herself in between Bella and I taking both our hands. I caught a brief side-long glance between Bella and Alice, but I didn't really think much about it. I was too happy.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The next week and a half flew by. Nessie came down for a few more practice sessions, while Bella, Jasper, and Alice worked furiously to train the new kitchen and wait staff. I was in and out working on a few new jobs that I'd acquired over the weeks.

Tanya stopped by once, but it happened to be while Bella was out. I supposed that wasn't entirely a bad thing. While Bella and I had talked about that issue a bit, I don't know that I could call it completely resolved. The next time she and Tanya interacted I wanted her to meet all of Tanya's family. That way there would be no further misunderstandings where T was concerned.

I was a little disappointed that I only got to spend a few fleeting moments with Bella this past week. She'd been working non-stop, but I guess that would be something I'd have to get used to. Weekends were now out since Friday, Saturday and Sunday would be big nights for the restaurant. She and Jasper had discussed at length the hours of operation and finally decided that Monday's they'd be closed, and that she and he would swap one other weekdays for a second night off.

I could work with that though. That was definitely one of the perks of being my own boss. I could do what I wanted when it came to the time I took off. Like this afternoon for instance. I cut my day a little short so I could get ready for Renesmee's recital.

I was really proud of all the hard work she'd put into her performance piece and I couldn't wait to hear her play for an audience. I was just cinching up my tie when a quick tap tap tap sounded at my door. I didn't think I was running late. I had promised to pick up Bella and Renesmee at their door, but when I glanced at my watch I saw that I was still a half hour ahead of schedule. I looked through the peep hole and my brows knit together in confusion. I pulled open the door and smiled.

"Mom! What are you doing here?"

"Well if that isn't a fine way to welcome your mother!" She pinched my cheek and I quickly recovered my manners.

"Sorry mom, I'm just surprised to see you is all."

"That's okay dear, I should've called, but this was kind of an impromptu trip. Renny and I were talking about the opening, and she mentioned she was coming up early for Nessie's recital, so I decided to come too. I hope you don't mind if I stay here in the guest room do you?"

I was shocked but pleasantly so, "of course not mom, that's fine. Do you want to get cleaned up? We need to leave in about 20 minutes to get to the recital on time."

"That would be lovely dear." I picked up the small suitcase and took it upstairs to the guestroom and headed down to wait for my mother. This was so typical Esme. She loves surprises. So far I couldn't see any problem with her visit. It just seems like she was teamed up with Renee and when two mothers start to get involved....

I wandered over to the piano and began playing around with the melody that had been stuck in my head for the last several weeks. I was jolted out of my little bubble though when the phone rang.

"Edward, I think we're going to need to take two cars."

"Did your mom just show up unannounced too?" I chuckled.

"Yeah, I was a bit shocked to see her standing on the landing. Wait so Esme is here too?"

"Mmhmm. Have you said anything to your mom about us?" I was curious, since I hadn't really said anything to my parents I wondered if Bella had.

"No, I've been so busy downstairs, and my love life hasn't really come up in conversation with her. What should we say?" Bella was now whispering so I asked in a whisper as well, "Why are we whispering?"

"Because I don't want my mom to hear just yet."

"Oh, okay." I thought about what I wanted to tell our mothers, and decided that I wanted very much to just tell them that Bella was my girlfriend, but that seemed like such a trite title. Not only because we were both in our thirties, but also because Bella felt like so much more than just a girlfriend.

"I suppose we should tell them something. Why don't we just come out with it and tell them we're together."

"So are you my..." she trailed off fishing for an answer. I debated briefly on whether or not I should make her say it out loud, but decided to let her off the hook.

"Your boyfriend?" I supplied. I could practically hear her blush over the phone.

"Gosh, I feel like I'm in middle school all over again. I should send Nessie down with a note asking if you want to go steady...check _yes_ or_ no._"

"No note required, and yes, I would like to go steady with you. So if you have no objections, I am your boyfriend and you are my girlfriend. Sound good?" I could hear a slight sigh on the other end of the line.

"Sounds perfect. You're perfect you know that?"

"I'm far from perfect, but I feel pretty darn close when I'm with you. I'll be up in a few minutes to collect you, Nessie and Renee. If you don't mind taking my work truck we can all fit."

"Sounds good Edward, see you in a few."

When I reached the top stair of the building, I'd barely tapped once before Renesmee threw open the door. She looked like a little grown up young lady, wearing a dress that was white on top and had a long black skirt. Her hair was pulled up and piled on top of her head with little tendrils of curls framing her face. It also looked like Bella had allowed her a bit of blush on the apples of her cheeks. She positively beamed as she grabbed my hand and pulled me in. "You, princess, look beautiful!" I said as I knelt down and tapped her nose with my finger.

"Well well, Edward, you sure turned out the handsome one! Come give me a hug, I don't think I've seen you since you were a little boy!" Renee's familiarity was a little awkward at first, but she never gave me enough time to dwell on it. She wrapped her arms around me and gave me a good pat on the back and I couldn't help but return the gesture.

We chatted for a moment until Bella walked into the living room putting on her last earing. I was about to tell her how lovely she looked but the words got stuck in my throat. She was beyond description. Her dress was a midnight blue that wrapped around her waist showing off her curves and highlighting her slender legs. I stood there dumbstruck while Renee, Bella and Nessie all looked at me. Nessie put her hand up to her mouth and whispered to me, "this is where you're supposed to tell Mom, how pretty she looks."

I snapped out of my stupor and grinned at Renesmee. "I wish those words were good enough, Ness. But I think your mom looks way better than pretty," I play whispered back to her.

"You look stunning Bella." I kissed her hand and she blushed bowing her head a little. I would never get enough of that blush.

"You don't look so bad yourself." She winked and picked up her purse.

We all headed down to where my truck was parked. Jacob was standing at the door of our building wearing a pair of black pants and a short sleeved white shirt and a clip on tie. I rolled my eyes a little when he waved at Renesmee. She put her hands behind her back and toed the ground a little with her shoe. I shook my head and took a few moments to quickly scoop up the fast food wrappers and other junk that was strewn about inside the crew cab. "Sorry ladies, just give me a moment. Had I know we'd be riding in the truck, I'd have done this earlier."

Bella just smiled as my Mother and Renee huddled together whispering furiously. Jacob and Nessie stood a little further away talking quietly with each other next to the truck. I opened up the rear door and held out my hand first for Renee, then Nessie, and finally Esme. I held the passenger door open for Bella and offered my hand to help her up into the large vehicle and then helped Jacob into the cab. I'd be darned if that little rapscallion would be sitting next to Nessie in the car. And it was in this moment that I had never been more thankful for bench seats. When I climbed into the drivers seat, Bella was scooted over into the middle seat right next to me.

I grinned as I started the truck and pulled into traffic. Whenever I wasn't shifting the transmission, my hand would rest lightly on Bella's knee. Nessie was talking up a storm to Esme and her grandmother, in fact she had them both quite occupied. I risked sliding my hand a little further up Bella's leg, I didn't get very far before she playfully swatted my hand away. I looked over at Jacob to make sure he hadn't seen anything, but his eyes were fixed looking out the window. He seemed like a quiet kid.

We arrived at the Performing Arts School of Chicago and parked. Like I had been taught since I was boy, I opened the door for all of my ladies, it's strange how much my life had changed in less than a month. I went from pretty much keeping to my self, being kind of a hermit, to having all of these beautiful women in my life, and I guess for Nessie's sake I could even include Jacob. I guess my emotions left me more transparent than I thought. Bella nudged my side and asked why I was smiling.

"I was just thinking about how lucky I am to be surrounded by 4 such beautiful ladies, the prettiest one being right here." I scooped up Nessie and kissed her cheek. I set her down and took her hand in mine and reached for Bella with my other hand. It didn't escape my attention that Jacob had gone to Nessie's other side and took her free hand in his. I shot one look in his direction and even though he was young, he held my gaze and didn't let go of her hand. I had to respect that. I could feel the rumble of a low growl in my chest but had to suppress the urge to separate them again. If Bella wasn't concerned about it, neither should I be. Our mothers linked arms and we all walked up the large steps of the majestic old building.

Bella took Renesmee up to where the performers were seated on the front row and returned to our seats just a few rows back from the front. We would have a perfect view of the piano and also of Nessie's face when it was her turn to play.

Jacob tugged on my sleeve and asked, "would you come with me back to the guy selling flowers?"

I looked into his nearly black eyes and saw the hope and the kindness in them. He was just being a nice kid and I was giving him a hard time. "Sure buddy, let's both get her a flower okay?"

We hurried back to the lobby of the auditorium where a man was selling large Gerber Daisies. Jacob picked out a yellow one and I picked out a pink one. I paid for both even though I saw Jacob digging in his pockets for the money he'd brought. I patted him on the shoulder and whispered, "I've got this one, you can get the next one okay?" He flashed a neon smile and shook my hand.

"Deal," he responded and then turned back into the theater.

There were only 6 children scheduled to play in the recital, but each of them had pieces that were about 10 minutes long, according to the program. I smiled at some of the song choices of the other children, it would be interesting to see how they stacked up against Renesmee.

Jacob slid past everyone and sat next to Bella's mom. Renee sat on Bella's left while Esme sat on my right. We were flanked and I had a sneaking suspicion that the mothers were up to something. I could just feel it. Thus far they hadn't said anything out loud, but I knew what they were thinking. As if it was a strategic air strike they both pounced on us at the same time. My head began swimming as I tried to listen to Renee's questions and Bella's answers as well as answer Esme's questions.

Finally I gave up and just focused on Esme. The way she looked at me was so different from the way she looked at me a few weeks ago. "You're happy Edward." She didn't ask, just observed.

"I am mom. Bella makes me happy; Renesmee too." I couldn't help the crooked grin that tore across my face.

Renee leaned across Bella and asked, "so when did all of this," she waved her arm between Bella and I, "happen?"

I looked at Bella silently questioning whether or not I should field this question. She gave me a nod so I responded, "I guess officially, we had our first date about two weeks ago."

Renee glanced at Esme and then turned to Bella, "Sweetie what exactly does he mean by 'officially'?"

Bella sighed and thought for a moment. "Well, let's say the pot has been on the heat for a while, but only just came to a boil two weeks ago."

Esme laughed softly, "leave it to the chef to come up with an analogy like that." The lights began to dim and a portly African American woman stepped up to the microphone on the stage of the auditorium.

She welcomed all of the parents and visitors, went through all of the normal pleasantries, donations were welcomed, end of the year notices and such. Once all of the business was concluded she began introducing each of the students who would perform tonight.

I was impressed at how she spoke of each child as though she really knew them personally. She smiled at all of the students on the front row and told of their growth and development over the past year, how they'd all improved and grown as artists in their own right.

When the introductions were concluded she called the first student up to the stage. We listened to 4 very talented children play, and then it was Renesmee's turn. She walked carefully up the stairs and tucked her dress under as she sat down on the padded stool.

Much like the routine she'd done at my apartment the first time I watched her play, she took a deep breath and rolled her shoulders back. Slowly and gracefully she lifted her hands up and floated them down onto the ivory keys. Her back hunched slightly as she prepared to launch into the vigorous opening notes of Johannes Brahms Rhapsody in B Minor. I'd already heard her practice it over and over and still I was awed that her little hands could so masterfully capture the fire and mystery of the piece. Her entire body was employed as she moved back and forth along the keyboard. I closed my eyes and could envision her fingers fluttering over the quick notes and her wrists bouncing up and down during the staccato chords.

I hadn't realized that my hands had taken on a mind of their own and were playing on a phantom piano, until I felt Bella's warm fingers entwine with my own. I looked at her and smiled sheepishly. Her eyes were brimming with unshed tears of pride, I would guess. As the notes faded, Renesmee gently removed her hands from the keyboard and placed them in her lap.

Thunderous applause broke out in the auditorium and I couldn't help myself when I stood and shouted, "Bravo!" Nessie's smile lit up the whole stage as she tugged the sides of her dress and did a proper curtsey to the audience. I felt bad for they boy who followed her flawless performance. She hadn't made one mistake and I thought my chest would burst it was so swollen with pride.

Once the performances were concluded, and the closing remarks were given, we flocked to Renesmee's side. We gushed and she blushed, it was the most adorable thing I'd ever seen. Esme and Renee fawned over her but I think the sweetest and most infuriating moment was when Jacob shyly walked up to her and handed her the yellow flower, placing a tiny kiss on her cheek. Both Renee and Esme let out a long, "Awwwww."

I was trying to keep a lid on my irrational and misplaced protective feelings, after all Nessie was not my daughter. Bella just gave my hand a squeeze and smiled at me. She could probably see all of my inner turmoil playing out on my face.

I knelt down and crooked my finger inviting Nessie to come over to me. I handed her my flower and gathered her up in a big hug. "I'm so proud of you Renesmee," I whispered in her ear.

I heard a little sniffle and a softly whispered, "thanks Da...Edward." I was stunned into silence, and just held on to her for an extra minute. A warm feeling spread throughout my chest as I thought about what she'd almost said.

I gently set her back on the ground and stuck my hands into the pockets of my slacks. Nessie ran over and gave Bella a hug and then returned to me and looped her arm through mine. We walked quietly back to the truck and everyone loaded up. Bella walked over to the driver door with me and asked, "Is everything alright Edward?"

I looked deep into her eyes and could see forever. I smiled and nodded my head, "Everything is perfect Bella."

**

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A/N: Not the end. Promise we have lots more to go. I'm going to give you guys a tooth ache with all the sweetness going on! Huge shout out to LOVE BITE, my resident piano expert, she recommended the song Nessie played and I also must give credit to her description of the song having "fire and mystery" and it really does. Links are on my profile! Awesome suggestions LB thanks so much!**

**Thanks to all the new reviewers and those who have sent me recipes! I'll try and use the ones that fit best in the story, if I do, I'll be sure to give you credit!**

**So lets have another AWWWWWW! And don't forget to press that little review button!**

**Chicken Satay Skewers with Peanut Sauce**

2-3 Boneless, Skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/4" thick strips

a bunch of wooden skewers, soaked in water for 1 hour

1/3 cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon grated gingerroot

3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

½ bunch of cilantro chopped finely

2 tablespoons water

Directions: Combine soy sauce, lime juice, garlic, ginger, cilantro, and red pepper flakes in small bowl. Add water and stir well. Pour over chicken; toss to coat well. Cover; marinate in refrigerator at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours, stirring mixture occasionally. Skewer the strips of chicken, then grill them until done (about 3 minutes per side).

**Peanut Sauce**

2 teaspoons peanut oil

4 shallots, minced

2 teaspoons minced garlic

2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger root

2 small red chile peppers, seeded and minced

1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter

1 3/4 cups coconut milk

2 teaspoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons brown sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce

1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice

Directions

Heat the peanut oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in shallots, garlic, ginger, and chile peppers. Cook and stir until the shallot begins to turn golden brown, about 7 minutes. Reduce heat to low, and stir in peanut butter, coconut milk, soy sauce, brown sugar, 1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce, and lime juice until blended. Simmer very gently for 10 minutes, then remove from heat and keep warm.


	15. Nervous Baker

**A/N: Another huge thank you for all the wonderful reviews! **

**Merci beaucoup to Sweetthunder for scrubbing up this chapter. Her story **_**Mike Newton Discovered,**_** has also been nominated at the Indie's so look it up on my favorites and read it cause it's cool and different.**

**And now on with the show!**

_**

* * *

Tapas at Twilight**_

**Chapter 14: Nervous Baker  
**

**BPOV**

Nessie had been uneasy and fidgety during the drive home. I figured it was just a bit of a let down from all the excitement of the show. She padded softly up the stairs, gave Edward an awkward hug goodnight, and continued on up to our apartment. I couldn't think of anything that might have been bothering her, but she wasn't her boisterous self. Esme gave me a quick hug and excused herself inside shutting the door softly behind her.

I continued to look up in the direction Nessie had gone until I felt Edward's arms gently wrap around my waist from behind. He rested his chin lightly on my shoulder and placed a soft kiss on the side of my neck. As if he could read my mind Edward whispered, "she almost called me Dad tonight after the recital."

I spun around in his arms and stood there gaping. Apparently I wasn't the only one developing very strong attachments to this wonderful man; but that would explain her strange mood. She was probably confused and struggling to understand what she was feeling, and if it was even right to be feeling those things. What I was just as interested in, was what did Edward think of that little Freudian slip.

"And how did you feel about that?" My stomach was knotted so tight it felt like it would never come undone. This had the potential to be a make or break moment. I held my breath and closed my eyes not wanting to see the inevitable conflict on his face. I felt his finger lifting my chin and the soft stroke of his hand on my cheek. I slowly opened my eyes to find his own shining and a soft smile drifting over his lips.

"I know I should probably be running for the hills but I feel okay about that, more than okay in fact."

"Really? Because it would pretty much be a deal breaker if you're not." I had to make sure her was positive about us. I would never forgive myself I let him get close and he broke Nessie's heart. I had spent so many years building walls all around us, protecting us in a little box of just me and her. I had so quickly thrown open the gates and let someone in, it must be scary for her. Edward brought both of his hands to my shoulders and pulled me into a big hug.

"No deal breaking, I'm sure. I want both of you in my life because I can't imagine a future without my girls." He leaned in and placed a chaste kiss on my trembling lips. My heart was pounding with the thought of his declaration. He wanted a future with us. And it made all of the sad and lonely parts of my soul swell with hope.

"Thank you Edward, I just needed to know you were in this for the long haul. I can't be casual with Nessie's feelings or my own."

"Bella," he breathed, "I would sooner wrestle a mountain lion than hurt you or Renesmee." His face was drawn in complete seriousness but I had to smile a little at the extremity of his statement. "I haven't ever felt like this before Bella, I'm not treating this lightly for either of us. I'm pretty vulnerable too and I hope that Nessie will let me in to her life, just as much as you have."

I reached up and stroked his stubble-free chin and smiled. "Thanks for helping Ness get ready for tonight, she was amazing."

"It was truly my pleasure, I just guided the talent already in her. Now go up and see if she's okay. Let me know if there's anything I can do okay?" He placed one more soft peck on my lips before I made my way upstairs.

I kicked my shoes off by the front door and walked softly into Nessie's room. She was already in her pajama's but was still working on taking her hair down. I came up behind her and rubbed her shoulders gently. I could feel her body sag and immediately relax. She let her hands fall into her lap and I began sifting out the bobby pins and gently removing the elastic. Once all of the hardware was out I ran my fingers through her soft strands making sure there weren't any massive tangles.

"Do you want a story tonight?" I walked over to the book shelf ready to select whatever struck her fancy.

"No, I just...can you just stay with me tonight?" She looked tentative and worried and I couldn't stand seeing my baby this way; especially when she had done nothing to be worried about.

"Sure sweetie, let me just change into my jammies too okay?" I pulled out a pair of shorts and one of Eric's old t-shirts, washed my face, brushed my teeth, and jumped into bed next to my daughter. We laid down facing each other, both tucking our hands under the shared pillow.

"You were great tonight Ness; Amma and I were both very proud of you. Edward was too." She smiled and nodded, but the happiness quickly faded.

"Mom? Can we have waffles for breakfast tomorrow?"

"Sure honey, any particular reason why?"

"I want to remember Daddy," she whispered so softly I almost didn't hear it.

"Oh Renesemee, I know you do, sweetie and it's okay to feel that way. No matter what happens we will never forget Daddy. There will always be a special place in our hearts just for him. No one will ever change that." I scooted right up next to her and wrapped her up in my arms. She buried her face in my chest and let a few un-welcomed tears sneak out.

"I almost called Edward, dad. Is that bad?" She had the most forlorn look on her face and I just wanted to wipe it off and make sure it was never allowed back.

"No Ness, it's not bad at all. In fact it's completely normal for you to want to have a dad. And it makes me happy that you feel that way about Edward, because I really like him a lot." I was gently stroking her hair and thinking about what a life with Edward would be like. In no time at all I could see our entire future laid out before my eyes.

A vision of quiet nights watching movies together, more recitals, camping trips, visits from Esme and Carlisle or Renee and Phil, Christmases, Halloweens, they were all there swirling around me and I wanted them. I wanted to snatch that future out of the unknown and make it a real concrete thing.

I should have expected her next question but I was caught completely off guard. "Mom, do you love Edward?" Was it even possible to love someone in such a short time? Of course it was, I fell in love with Renesmee the moment I laid eyes on her. Had that really happened with Edward? It was hard for me to know because what I felt for Edward was so completely different than what Eric and I had together, and my relationship with Eric was the only thing I really had to use as a barometer of sorts.

Eric was comfortable, like my favorite pair of fuzzy slippers. He was my best friend. I could count on him to keep me safe and warm and he was always just right. Edward, on the other hand, was exhilarating and just different; I felt connected to him in ways I never had with Eric. Even though he's only a floor away my heart aches to be with him. As awful as it sounds to myself, it feels like Eric was holding the spot open that Edward was meant to fill.

"I think I do Ness, I think I do." She hugged me tighter and replied, "I think I do too Mom."

We woke up and had waffles, but there was no melancholy, just quiet contentment. She helped me dry the dishes and we headed down to the restaurant. Today was the preview tasting at The Cave and I was a nervous wreck.

"Mom, I'm going to play with Jake and the gang." Ness was walking toward the back door with a light skip in her step.

"What are you guys going to be doing?" Just as I was finishing my question a loud knock pounded on the back door of the building. I looked out the peep hole and saw two eyebrows and a shock of jet black hair. I pulled open the door to a grinning Jacob holding a small video camera. "Hi there Jacob, whatcha got there?" He held up the camera and seemed very excited about something.

"Me, Sam, and Embry are gonna be filming some sweet bike stunts so we can put it up on youtube." He was shifting from one foot to the other impatiently and I didn't have the heart to make him wait any longer.

I pushed Nessie toward the door. "Just be safe okay? Nothing too crazy, we don't have time to go to the hospital today."

"Okay mom!" The two ran out the back door into the alley. I peeked outside at the ramp they'd set up and was fairly impressed with the whole contraption.

"A delivery truck is going to be coming soon, so make sure you keep a look out okay guys?"

A chorus of "sure, sure" rang out in the alley as I returned to the kitchen. I looked at my list of dishes and double checked the dry goods making sure we had everything we'd need. I took a deep breath and tried to calm my nerves, but that wasn't working. So I did the only thing that's worked in the past: baking.

I pulled out all the ingredients for my famous bake sale cookies and started mixing. I opted to do it by hand instead of with the Hobart; I needed the physical outlet for my stress. Six dozen cookies later and I was feeling a little better about the preview. I pulled a gallon of milk out of the fridge and poked my head into the alley shouting "cookies!"

"You made cookies?" asked a rich velvet voice from behind me. I turned and saw Edward smiling from the door to the building hallway.

"I bake when I'm nervous or stressed out, I can't help it." Before Edward had a chance to come any further into the kitchen a horde of screaming children careened past him all chanting, "cook-ies, cook-ies." They descended on the tray of confections like vultures. The carnage was acute and complete, and when the dust settled there were nothing but crumbs and milk puddles remaining.

"Good grief! Who were those kids and were they raised by wolves?" Edward's face dropped in utter disappointment when he caught sight of the empty tray.

"Those were Nessie's friends, they all live in the building next door. In fact, that reminds me I need to call Emily's mom and make sure it's still okay for her to spend the night." The timer dinged and I casually walked over to the oven removing the last sheet of cookies. I set the tray down on the counter and draped the dish towel around the handle of the oven door.

Edward leaned on the counter next to me and purred, "is one of those reserved for me?"

"How could I not save one for my number one handyman?" I stretched up and gave him a quick smooch and walked into my office to get the phone. Once I had everything squared away with Mrs. Young I walked back out to the kitchen area. Jasper and Alice had arrived and along with Edward had made short work of half the sheet of cookies.

The delivery truck from Newton's arrived just then, so I didn't get a chance to think about the confections disappearing before my eyes. Opening the back door I saw two men hop out of the van and open the rear. The driver grabbed a clipboard from the front seat and walked toward me. I had to roll my eyes just a little at the blatant up and down he gave me as he approached, his whole demeanor screamed needy.

"Are you Chef Swan?" His light blue eyes sparkled with mischief as he shook my hand.

"I am, how are you...?" I trailed off waiting for him to supply his name.

"Mike, Mike Newton, pleasure to be working with you. We'll get started unloading your order, where would you like us to put it?" He was _leaning_ way too far into my personal space bubble and I had to take a step backward. Clueless to his intrusion or maybe just annoyingly persistent, he countered my step back with another step forward.

I moved aside and quickly backed up into the kitchen; there was no way I was turning my back on this guy. He and his partner quickly unloaded the van and Jasper and I checked every box for quantity and quality. I'd gotten burned bad during my first week at _Le Provençale_ because I'd accepted a delivery that was short 2 Lobster tails. I was lucky to be on James' good side, had it been anyone else they would have been fired on the spot.

I signed the invoice, took my copy and bid Mr. Newton good riddance. If he never drove delivery again it would be too soon. Edward had just thrown his tool belt over his shoulder when Rosalie burst through the double doors. She scanned the kitchen and stopped on Edward, raised her eyebrow and looked him over once. "What's new Eddie?"

Edward sighed and ran his hands through his hair. "Why am I not surprised?" he muttered. I looked between the two and questioned, "you two know each other?"

"Of course we do, since _this_ is where I work and _he's_ the owner of the building," she folded her arms and looked away from Edward. He shook his head and wrapped his arms around me. "I'll see you tonight okay?" He leaned in and gave me a gentle peck on the lips and gave me another tight squeeze.

"See if you can do some recon and find out what our mothers are up to okay?" He smiled that 1000 watt grin and replied, "will do."

Once the other waitresses arrived we went over the service plan, Alice and Maria would cover the balcony tables while Rosalie and Carmen would cover the lower level. I left Rosalie in charge of making sure that Maria and Carmen were up to snuff on their service skills. The last thing I needed was to have a tray full of food dumped on potential customers. Alice showed us the coupons that she'd designed, and everyone was instructed to hand them out like candy on Halloween.

Jasper and I got to cooking and for a good 3 hours we worked our tails off. Having packed all of the cold stuff into the walk-in, and prepped all the ingredients for the hot stuff we decided to take a break and meet back at Tapas in two hours.

I packed Nessie off to Emily's and ran back up to my apartment. I desperately wanted to take a nice long bath but could only frown at my watch. There was no time for the luxurious bath I would have liked to take, not that I really could have luxuriated in the small, standard tub in our little bathroom. Instead, I stood under the stream of water until it started to turn lukewarm. I knew the shower was useless as I'd be sweating like a turkey on Thanksgiving in less than two hours, but at least I could start fresh and clean.

I pulled on my work pants and opted for the Dansko's tonight. Shrugging into my chefs coat with the black buttons and black piping around the collar, I felt a bit like I was arming myself for battle. Jasper once told me that I 'oozed confidence' when I wore this particular coat. I was sure to be oozing something tonight, I just wasn't sure it would be confidence. I grabbed a spare coat just in case.

Jasper and Alice came in a few minutes later and again we fell into a synchronized routine of give and take, side by side. We finished the dishes and got them into the hot boxes, pulled the chilled food out and loaded it all up in the bed of my truck. Emmett had decided that he wanted to have at least one night a week of catered tapas, so he offered to purchase chafing dishes and chill trays to keep at The Cave. I was just grateful for one less thing to remember to bring.

We pulled around back, unloaded and began setting everything up. Emmett's bar manager Phinnaeus, led us to where our base camp would be. Apparently Emmett was going to be a little late getting to the club, so Phin stepped up to help us.

By 9 o'clock the club was filling up and people were passing by left and right snatching food up off the table. It was fun to see them eyeing a particular dish, their faces full of doubt and suspicion, like I was secretly serving old tires and shoelaces dressed up as appetizers, and then how their faces changed to awe once they tasted the food. And then to see them trying to be discreet as they attacked another dish, it was truly one of the most rewarding things ever.

Alice had her ear to the ground and was reporting that a lot of people had heard through the grapevine about the preview. I'd seen one blog post about it, but didn't know how far reaching an effect it would have. I guess word of mouth in the foodie community was as good as any money I'd thrown into print ads. Now all I had to do was live up to the hype.

**EPOV**

Esme and I picked up Renee from her hotel and got to the Club shortly after it's opening. I was happy to see that there was a line to get in; I was more happy though, that we bypassed the line and walked straight through the VIP door. The generic house music was reverberating around the cave-like walls, lights were flashing and every now and then a spot light would fall on an enormous bear.

I guided my Mother and Renee to a table on the lower level not too far from where Bella had set up her service table. Bella looked radiant mostly because she was completely in her element. The way she shmoozed the club goers was beyond expert. I sidled up to the table and began asking a question. She took a quick look up and saw that I had approached and nearly melted me with her smile.

"Hey you. Where are the moms?"

"Right he-re!" sing-songed Renee from behind me. Esme offered a little wave and a wink in Bella's direction. I raised my eyebrow but she just ignored me.

"Bella everything looks fabulous! What's the favorite so far?" Esme was genuinely interested, and so was I for that matter. I was taking one of each of the tapas, and two of my more favorite ones.

"The chicken skewers are definitely a hit, and the Mediterranean squares are also getting snapped up quickly. The slowest mover is probably the olives with the chorizo, we've still got a ton of that." While she was looking at me I could tell Bella's attention was split in a million different directions.

I leaned in a little closer and spoke into her ear, "you have them literally eating out of your hand. Keep it up, we'll be just over here." I pointed to the table we were sitting at and moved down the line. After an hour or so a large burly man walked up to our table and introduced himself as the club owner. The title clicked in my head and I stood extending my hand to him, "you must be Emmett! I'm Edward, Bella's boyfriend, and this is my mother Esme, and Bella's mother Renee."

"I'm glad y'all could make it tonight, looks like people are lovin' the grub!" He smiled the most genuinely happy smile anyone could have smiled. I liked him instantly. He let go of my hand and was going to say something else but his head whipped around to the service table so fast I was afraid it he might have sprained his neck.

Emmett's entire posture changed and he let out a low whistle, "well slap me silly and call me Shirley, who is that fine specimen of the female variety?" I looked around his hulking figure to see Rosalie loading up her tray with more tapas.

"Oh, that's Rosalie, she's the head waitress at Bella's restaurant," I said disinterestedly. Rosalie and I had never meshed well; every time I'd crossed paths with her things ended in some level of unpleasantness.

"She's so hot." He was staring at her like he'd never seen a woman before.

"Eh, I suppose, if you like that type. She's a bit...abrasive."

"That type? You mean Super model? Botticelli's Venus? Yeah, I like that type. She's perfection." I silently begged to differ because perfection was the woman _behind_ the table. As if she had super hearing and knew we were talking about her, Rosalie sauntered towards us, swinging her hips and balancing the tray on one hand. The web had been spun, the trap was set. Emmett had absolutely no chance of survival. Rosalie looked him up and down, twirled her finger indicating for Emmett to turn around, _which he did, _and added a little bicep flex on the end. She then trailed one finger down the line of buttons on his shirt and said, "we are so going out." His stupefied look turned into a triumphant grin and he respond, "yes we are baby."

"Call me," she tossed over her shoulder and then she walked away. Hook, line and sinker, he was completely gone.

I chuckled softly as Emmett stood there for another full minute completely awestruck. "Dude I need her phone number." He was patting his pants pockets looking for his phone, but I stopped him because I didn't have Rosalie Hale's phone number memorized, nor was she on my contacts list.

"Ask Bella, I'm sure she has it." He nodded and thanked me quickly and then continued to work the crowd. The night was shaping up to be a huge success.

**VictoriaPOV**

I walked into the club around 11 o'clock and found a nice dark corner to hide in. I'd pulled my hair back into a tight bun and tried to keep myself discreet. I knew that low class burger-flipper was up to something when I saw her in the supply store. When I heard about this preview, I knew I had to come. I needed to see if this was going to cause problems for James.

Ever since Bella left _Le Provençale_ it had been nearly impossible to keep a decent kitchen staff together. Morale was crap and James was constantly furious. Even I couldn't help him blow off steam like I used to.

If the talk was true and she was as good as people were claiming, it would be a death sentence for _Le Provençale_. This Tapas place would be all the talk, and talk is money. A leggy blonde came by the table and offered some of Bella's concoctions. I was dead set against enjoying the food, but Tyler was right.

As much as I hated to admit it, as much as it galled me to say, Bella was going to cause a major problem. That was not acceptable and something would have to be done. I'd accomplished what I'd set out to do, and now I had to sneak out of here without anyone seeing me. I slipped out of the table and beat a hasty path to the front door but slammed into a woman dressed in some kind of stupid Batikked tunic. I mumbled a quick apology and hurried out the door.

I walked swiftly to the car where James was waiting for me.

"So?" He looked at me with a grim expression of expectation.

"We have a big problem."

"Merde!" He slammed his hand on the steering wheel and shook his head back and forth slowly. He had a scary look in his eye and I couldn't help but smile. I loved it when he got crazy like that. "She will curse zee day zat she left my restaurant. We put zee plan into action right away."

Look out baby Bella, you've got some curve balls coming your way.

**

* * *

A/N:Annnnnnnnnd cue evil laugh. MWAH HA HA HA HA. I tried to warn you guys...okay let me have it, I can take it. Reviews please for the sweetness at the beginning of the chapter? :D**

**Okay folks these are the cookies that my mom has made for us since forever. They are the supposed to be soft and full of gooeyliciousness, so please DO NOT OVERCOOK THEM!**

**BEST COOKIES EVER**

**1 C butter (margarine's okay but butter's better. Yes there's a little of Paula Dean in me)**

**1 C sugar**

**½ C brown sugar**

**2 eggs**

**1 tsp vanilla**

**2 C flour**

**1 tsp baking soda**

**1 tsp baking powder**

**1 tsp salt**

**1 12 oz bag of chocolate chips**

**2 C quick oats**

**1 C raisins**

**1 ½ C chopped walnuts**

**Diretions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.**

**Cream butter and sugars together. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Sift flour, soda, powder, salt together. Stir into creamed mixture. Mix in chocolate chips, oats, raisins, and nuts. Drop by spoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 10 to 12 minutes. They should look like they're just barely cooked in the center, and very light brown on the edges. Let them cool for 5 minutes on the sheet, then use a metal or very stiff and thin spatula to remove them from the pan. They are soft and very delicate when they're hot. Makes 3-4 dozen depending on how much dough you eat before you cook them up. :)**


	16. Sweet Success

**A/N: A million thank you's again to everyone who has been reading and reviewing! Big shout out to ****kuntrygal****, who recommended **_**Tapas at Twilight**_** on the Secret Twilight Garden Blog, go check out the link, they've got lots of other stuff to read over there (link is on my profile).**

**Today is the last day to vote for **_**The Wrong Flower**_** over at Bronze's profile for the Epic T rated contest...mosey on over if you haven't already. I would be most grateful!**

**Love the reviews so much, they always make me smile! And now, please don't forget to **Vote** at the Indietwific awards, _The Blood Crystal_ is up for Best Complete AU and Best Secondary Story line. Mike Newton Discovered is also up for Best AU WIP so please follow the link on my profile and go vote for some awesome under-appreciated stories!**

**Thanks as always to Sweetthunder for the beta skills.**

**

* * *

Tapas At Twlight**

**Chapter 15: Sweet Success**

**BPOV**

The tasting party at The Cave was a huge success. We had planned for just the right amount of food, but probably could've served more. The comments we had gotten from everyone who stopped at the table were glowing. It was nearing midnight and while the club was still thumping, we were cleaning up our service table.

I noticed Edward walking toward me and couldn't suppress the giddy grin that spread across my face.

"So do we have any tasty leftovers?" He surveyed the table and frowned at the lack of food on any of the platters.

"Sorry hon, we're pretty much cleaned out," I winked and started stacking up the empty trays.

"Well, I guess that's a good thing though, isn't it?"

"A very good thing. I'm really starting to get excited about tomorrow night."

Edward chuckled and asked, "you're just now starting to get excited?"

I pushed his shoulder and scowled at his teasing. "You know what I mean," I poked my tongue out at him. He straightened up and his eyes bore a red hot path directly into mine.

"I wouldn't go waving that around if you're not planning on using it." The lusty feelings emanating from my insanely handsome boyfriend, _I still have to get used to saying that,_ combined with the heady music from the club served to boost my self confidence, and I just couldn't help but tease him a little.

I ran my tongue around my lips and captured the tip of it between my teeth. I smiled widely as his eyes grew round as saucers and asked, "this right here?" I touched my finger to my lips and was feeling a little silly flirting in such a public place. I hadn't ever flirted to get a man, was I even doing it right? I looked at Edward and could tell, whatever I was doing, it was working. He nodded, placing his hands on the table directly in front of me. His eyes were hooded and he looked as though he was ready to pounce on me. "Well, then I'd better lock it up shouldn't I?" and I snapped my mouth shut.

I hadn't realized it but I was leaning over the table and Edward closed the short distance between us. The dim lights and heavy base beat made me feel like we were all alone. He breathed in my ear, "that wasn't very nice Isabella." He ran his nose along my jaw line up to my ear and gently nipped on the soft spot just behind my earlobe.

A pair of throats clearing burst our hazy lust-filled bubble. Edward stood up and grimaced as our mothers both looked on our little tryst with amusement. I could feel my cheeks immediately burning red.

"So, Ezzy and I have decided to have a little sleep over, she's coming back to my hotel," my mother announced.

"I'll just need to grab a few things from your apartment okay Edward? We'll meet you out at the car." Esme and my mother linked arms and headed outside, again whispering back and forth.

Edward turned back to me and asked, "do you need any help with this?" I looked at our station and noted that we'd gotten most everything packed up already.

"No, I think we're good. We'll have a little bit to do once we get back to the restaurant, but it shouldn't take too long."

"I'll meet you there then okay?"

"Okay," I reached up to give him a quick peck on the lips, "see you in a bit."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Jasper and I had gotten everything loaded into the large dishwashers and were just finishing up when Edward walked into the kitchen.

"So what can I do to help?" he asked pushing up his sleeves.

"Oh sure now he comes to help, after we're already done," Jasper walked past Edward to where his things were and gave him a soft punch in the arm. "I'll see you tomorrow Bells, have a good night!"

Edward rubbed the spot Jasper had just socked and walked over to where I was putting away the last of the supplies. "You guys work quickly, I'm sorry I wasn't here to help out."

"It's okay, I need to get back into the swing of things since this is going to be a nightly affair." Now that the adrenaline high was wearing off, I could feel myself crashing. I stretched my arms up and let out a huge yawn.

"Come on, let's get you to bed shall we?" Feeling more and more dead on my feet I simply nodded and shuffled out the door. With a little smirk, Edward took the keys from my hand and made sure the door was secure before stooping down with his back to me.

I looked down perplexed by his actions, "what are you doing?"

He glanced behind and said, "climb on spider monkey, I'm giving you a piggy back ride."

Too tired to argue, I complied and wrapped my arms around his neck. He pulled my legs around his hips and secured them with his hands. He walked quickly up to the top floor and set me down gently.

I stumbled inside and turned to see my Edward smiling down gently. He had a slightly mischievous look on his face that I couldn't quite place. Another yawn escaped my lips and Edward's eyes softened. "I should let you get to bed, you're exhausted." While I knew he was right, I didn't want him to leave.

"Edward would you mind making me a cup of tea while I get changed? I think there's some chamomile in the cabinet above the sink."

"You're wish is my command, Bella."

He stepped past me into the kitchen giving my waist a light squeeze as he walked by. That one little touch seemed to ignite my entire being on fire. As I walked into Nessie's empty room to get my pajamas from the dresser, I was reminded that we were all alone. I quickly changed, splashed some water on my face, and walked through a spritz of freesia body spray, not wanting to waste any more of this precious time we had to ourselves.

Edward leaned his head out the kitchen door and asked, "honey or sugar?"

"You can call me whichever you like, but I take honey in my tea," I surprised myself with how flirtatious I was being.

I moved to stand in the doorway enjoying the view of Edward working in my kitchen. It was impossible not to admire his strong back, hidden only by the thin cotton of his dress shirt. He looked over his shoulder and gave me a wink, carefully capped the honey and stirred a generous spoonful into my tea. I smiled as he handed me the mug and relished the warmth of the ceramic on my hands. He turned me around by the shoulders and led me back out to the living room. I sat down on the futon and patted the seat next to me. Edward just shook his head and sat down cross-legged in front of me.

"Edward what are you do....ahhhhh oh my...nnnnnnnnngggghh." He firmly gripped my foot in his hands and began kneading my arch, rubbing his thumbs slowly up and down. I could feel my whole body slump further into the futon and had to remember that I had a cup of very hot liquid in my hands. He continued to rub my heel and ankle paying special attention to each one of my toes. Another audible groan was earned when he began kneading my calves. All of the inhuman noises he was eliciting from me caused him to chuckle. I stuck my tongue out again to which he raised his eyebrow, daring me to do it again.

He switched to my other leg and bestowed the same treatment there as well. I was so relaxed, it felt like I was floating on a cloud. My eyes had long since been closed and I didn't protest when I felt the mug being slipped out of my hand. There is a lot to be said for the rejuvenating effects of herbal tea, and an intense foot massage from your super hot next door neighbor handyman boyfriend. I heard the water run briefly and mumbled a soft "thank you" into the room.

I felt Edward's presence and peered through the tiniest of slits to confirm that he was once again kneeling between my feet. I closed my eyes again and lazily reached out to stroke his smiling face. He began running his hands up and down my calves again causing another satisfied, "mmmm".

My eyes shot open though, when I felt those strong, warm hands travel past my knees and up my thighs until they were resting on my hips. Edward was most definitely _leaning_ and it made my entire being tingle with anticipation.

"I believe, I have some payback to give," he whispered huskily as he pressed his body close to mine. My brain was emptied of any coherent thought, my body was responding to Edwards touch involuntarily, and I surrendered to the sensations.

His kisses seared my skin as he savored every inch of my neck. I threw my arms around him and buried my hands into his unruly hair. He worked up my neck and began softly nibbling my earlobe sending shock waves of electricity through my entire being. By the time his lips found mine, any and all fatigue had been wiped out. His lips were hungry and demanding and mine responded in kind. They molded and moved together with a combined urgency I'd never felt before.

The spark that was ignited by his first touch intensified and I couldn't contain my desire for this man. When our tongues met in a mutual caress I moaned in delight. It was overwhelming to feel him all around me but still desire more connection.

I slid down until I was lying on the futon and pulled him down closer to me. Without hesitation he responded and hovered over me continuing his assault on any and all visible skin. I felt consumed in the passion that was burning out of control. I lost track of time and space, I could have been on the futon, or in a meadow, or on the moon. I reveled in tracing my fingers down Edward's muscled back. The groans that I was now receiving bolstered my confidence and desire all the more.

As Edward's hand fluttered down my side, I felt that familiar zing as his hand found purchase on the sliver of skin between my yoga pants and tank top. A shiver tore through me and goose bumps erupted all over my skin as I felt his fingers search tentatively under the hem of my shirt. My concentration shattered as I was double teamed by his mouth and his wandering hand.

Something in my empty head clicked, though when I felt his large hand move further up and his thumb brush across my rib cage. I broke away from his lips and panted, "Edward."

"Oh Bella," he groaned, his eyes still closed.

"Edward," I repeated breathlessly, "we need to stop." As my words sunk in, his kisses slowly ceased but he continued to hover over me. "Why?" he pleaded.

Yes, why? That was a very good question, one that my addled mind was having a hard time answering, not that it would change the fact that we needed to stop.

"Edward, please believe me when I say I don't want to stop where this train is going, but I just can't go there tonight." He pulled back and looked into my face, frustration clearly painted across his features. "I'm sorry, this is happening so fast, I just need to slow down. Please tell me you understand." He heaved an enormous sigh and pulled himself off of me and settled at the opposite end of the futon. I felt horrible for putting the brakes on what was probably the best make out I've ever experienced in my life, but I was getting lost and had to think with my head about the ramifications of what we were about to do. Edward flopped his head on the back of the futon and pinched the bridge of his nose. I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes.

I tentatively reached for his other hand and gave it a light squeeze. He rolled his head to look at me and offered a weak smile, "I'm sorry I got carried away."

"You weren't the only one," I blew a shaky breath out and scooted closer to his side. Thankfully he reached out and tucked his arm around my shoulders; I fit perfectly into the crook of his arm. "I really am sorry Edward, but I have to think about Renesmee too."

"Bella, she's not in the building. She won't even know," he said low and soft, his voice full of velvet and want. He gently trailed his fingers along the soft skin of my forearm further weakening my resolve.

"But I'll know," my eyes were begging him to understand," Edward, I can't be a 'do as I say not as I do' kind of mom. If I don't want her having sex before marriage, then I have to be that example. She'd pick up on my hypocrisy."

He turned then and the seduction and frustration had been replaced by understanding and something else I couldn't quite identify.

"You truly are an amazing woman Bella Swan," he reached up and caressed my face, "I think that's probably why I love you so much." He said the words with such tenderness, their meaning shot straight to my heart. My eyes grew wide, a few tears escaped, and a slow smile crept across my face as my soul swelled with joy. _He loves me._

"You are pretty amazing yourself Edward Cullen, that's why we love you too." I looked up and watched the understanding wash over his face as he asked, "we?"

"Yes, we. Ness and I had a talk about that last night, and while she is loyal to the memory of Eric, she loves you. And so do I."

He wrapped me up in the fiercest hug I've ever had and placed a soft, slow-burning kiss on my lips that nearly made me forget why we'd stopped in the first place.

He stood and pulled me up with him as though I was as light as a feather. We walked over to the front door together and Edward proved just how much he loved and respected me with what he said next. "I promise to respect your boundaries because being a good example for Nessie is more important to me than my own desires. And because I can't refuse anything you ask of me." He placed another soft kiss on my forehead and one more on my waiting lips and whispered goodnight.

Leaning against the door jam I listened until I heard his door click shut and began mentally calculating if there was enough time tomorrow for us to fly to Vegas. As I closed my eyes for the night, I could hear the soft strains of the piano that seemed to be brimming with love and desire, wafting through the air vents.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I was awoken Friday morning, much too early for having gone to bed at nearly 3am, by the harsh ring of my cell phone. I scrambled to dig it out of my purse and answered with a groggy, "hello?"

"Bella Sweetheart? Did I wake you up?"

"Yes mom, why are you calling at," I glanced at the clock seeing it was actually almost 9, "oh, I guess it's not too early to be calling."

"Have a late night did we?" My mother's tone was laced with innuendo, but I wasn't about to acknowledge that.

"It's fine, I'm glad you called, I need to pick up Ness." I yawned as I opened the fridge to fill a glass with orange juice.

"Well, Esme and I are on our way over, so we'll see you in a little while okay?"

"K mom, see you." I clicked the phone shut and jumped in the shower. I grabbed some comfy clothes but returned them to the drawer and spent a second considering a slightly cuter outfit. I felt like I had a reason to look cute and I hadn't really felt that before. On our way back from the Youngs, we met Edward as he was coming down the stairs and I was glad I'd reconsidered the sweat pants.

"Good morning beautiful," he leaned in and gave me a kiss. "And how's my princess?" He asked Renesmee. She ducked her head shyly and said, "fine."

"So where are you off to," I inquired, noticing his tool belt and work clothes.

"Mrs. Shapiro needs work done on her toilet again," he stepped closer to me and placed a kiss on my forehead and took a deep breath.

"Are you sniffing me?" Nessie giggled and I felt him still and pull back slightly.

"Maybe. Yes. I just really love the way your hair smells," he murmured. I pushed him away playfully and said, "go, save Mrs. Shapiro, just don't let her pinch your buns again."

"Yes ma'am," he saluted then reached down and gave Ness a kiss on the forehead too. She blushed bright red and wrapped her arm around my waist, trying to hide a little of her embarrassment. "Hey, I was thinking maybe Monday afternoon the three of us could go down to Navy Pier, sound good?"

I looked down at Nessie who was now bouncing up and down nodding her head vigorously. "Sounds like a plan. We'll see you tonight right?"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

By mid-day the entire restaurant was buzzing with activity. This was the third day we had the full kitchen staff on site, and the first day with both the full kitchen and wait staff together. Alice was expertly handling the front of house, and the Mom's and Nessie were working on the few decorations and favors we'd planned for the opening night patrons.

We'd scheduled the grand opening for 5 o'clock, the neighborhood paper had been contacted and they were sending a reporter and photographer for the ribbon cutting. A few of the foodie bloggers that had been at the tasting also said they would be there. I was nervous as all get out.

Jasper kicked me out of the kitchen at 3 o'clock, on Alice's orders, to get ready for the big moment. I showered, and dried my hair, poured myself into my spanx and slipped into my new black dress. A sharp knock on the door alerted me to Alice's presence, and I gratefully let her in to work her magic. She curled my hair and secured it in a soft ponytail at the nape of my neck, wrapping a strand of hair around the elastic, making it look that much more elegant. I glanced at my watch as I slipped on my comfy pumps and noted that it was 4:30, I needed to get downstairs.

As I walked into the restaurant I was floored by what I saw. Nessie looked like Alice's mini-me. They both had on black skirts and white button down shirts with a delicate red print silk scarf tied gently around their necks. Nessie's hair was pulled up into a soft bun, and she looked absolutely adorable holding a few menus, ready to do her job.

Rosalie, Carmen, and Maria all looked impeccable, and a few moments later, Jasper filed out of the kitchen with Kate and Eli, our dessert chef. Everyone was clean and pressed and just perfect. I could feel the tears prick at the corners of my eyes as my dream was moments away from being a reality.

Everyone was looking at me expectantly and I realized that I probably should say something. "Thanks to everyone for all your hard work. You are all fabulous at what you do. I have full confidence that tonight will be a huge success. Now let's do what we do best and get cookin'!"

I walked outside and gasped as I saw the line of people waiting to get into my restaurant. _My restaurant_. It was surreal as I made a little welcome speech, cut the ribbon and opened the door. The reporter asked me a few questions, we took a few pictures and then I excused myself when their food arrived.

I mingled amongst the diners and was pleasantly surprised to see a familiar face. I walked over to where a handsome couple sat and greeted them. "Ms. Webber, is that you?"

"Bella! So good to see you again. Thank you so much for the invitation. You remember Mr. Cheney," she indicated the gentleman sitting with her.

"Of course, it was my pleasure, without your help, this would never have become a reality. Are you enjoying your meal?" I tried to put my most confident face on, but inside I was a quivering mess.

"It is absolutely to die for. Compliments to the chef!" She winked and while I was grateful for the acknowledgment, I had to give Jasper his props.

"I will let Jasper know. In fact, I'm on my way back to finally get my hands dirty! I'm glad you could make it."

I pushed my way into the kitchen and was pleased to note that nothing was on fire, no one was injured, and everything seemed to be running smoothly. I threw on my chefs coat, slipped on my crocs and jumped in behind the line.

At seven Alice poked her head in the kitchen and let me know that Edward was here and that he and Nessie were going to eat with the Mom's.

Not a minute later she came rushing back in the kitchen whisper yelling that Phil Vettel just walked in.

"From the Tribune?" She nodded with wide eyes. "Shut up! Okay, make sure Rosalie has his table and let's not screw this up."

When his order came in I handled it personally and made sure that it was spot on perfection going out the door. Once Rose had taken it, I let out a nervous breath and began pacing back and forth. Jasper stopped what he was doing and put a calm hand on my shoulder.

"Relax Bella, everything will be fine." I closed my eyes and willed myself to believe what Jasper was saying. I looked at the wall clock and saw that it was almost 9. Two more hours to go. I shucked off my chefs coat and donned the heels to make rounds in the dining room one more time. Alice said there were still people waiting to get in and suggested we stay open a little later. How could I say no? I told her to make sure everyone who was waiting now got seated and we would stay open as long as it takes.

I swung by the table where Edward, Ness and the Mom's were. My mother offered to take Ness upstairs and get her ready for bed. Edward introduced me to Aro, though we'd met when I signed the lease papers, I shook his hand and thanked him for coming. Edward pulled me close to his side and gave me a discreet kiss before heading back up to his place with Esme. I was more than thankful that our mothers had decided to surprise us this week. I realized again how much I had relied on Renee and just how much I missed her.

I mingled, I chatted, I tried to be as gracious as possible, and when the last customer left, I felt exhilarated and so exhausted I was practically giddy. I couldn't wait to run up the stairs and share this moment with Edward.

**

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A/N: So a successful night for the restaurant, a little smoochie time for Bella and Edward, so send some love and let me know what part you liked best, just click that review button, it only takes a second!**

**Melon Prosciutto Wraps**

1 ripe cantaloupe melon

8 thin strips of prosciutto, cut in half longways

Slice the melon into 16 wedges and remove the peel with a pairing knife

wrap the strip of prosciutto diagonal around the melon

Serve and enjoy.

**Shrimp Ceviche Shooter**

If you find the ceviche a little too acidic, drain out some of the juices after the marinating, add a little more avocado (or some olive oil) and/or a little more salt.

Ingredients

* 1 pound medium-small shrimp, peeled and deveined

* 2 Tbsp salt

* 3/4 cup lime juice (juice from 4-6 limes)

* 3/4 cup lemon juice (juice from 2-3 lemons)

* 1 cup finely chopped red onion

* 1 serrano chile, ribs and seeds removed, minced

* 1 cup chopped cilantro

* 1 cucumber, peeled diced into 1/2-inch pieces

* 1 avocado, peeled, seed removed, cut into 1/2-inch chunks

Directions

1 In a large pot, bring to a boil 4 quarts of water, salted with 2 Tbsp salt. Add the shrimp and cook for 1 minute to 2 minutes max, depending on size of shrimp. (Over-cooking the shrimp will turn it rubbery.) Remove shrimp with a slotted spoon and place into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking.

2 Drain the shrimp. Cut each piece of shrimp in half, or into inch-long pieces. Place shrimp in a glass or ceramic bowl. Mix in the lime and lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate for a half hour.

3 Mix in the chopped red onion and serrano chile. Refrigerate an additional half hour.

4 Right before serving, add the cilantro, cucumber, and avocado.

Serve in shot glasses.


	17. The Fat Shaggy

**A/N: Nothing more to say than I love all of you wonderful folks who are reading and reviewing! Thanks also for those who voted for **_**The Wrong Flower,**_** it didn't win, but I appreciate it all the same.**

_**The Blood Crystal **_**is into the final round of voting for an Indietwific award in the ****Best Secondary Story line Complete****. Voting there starts on July 22 so keep that in mind.**

**And another huge thanks to Sweetthunder for slicin' and dicin' my words. Sorry this took a while, but it was really hard to get into the groove.**

**

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Tapas at Twilight**

**Chapter 16: The Fat Shaggy**

**EPOV**

I woke Monday eager to start my day with Bella and Ness. After dropping off the Moms at the airport, I spent the better part of Sunday making plans for our outing. Renesmee had been so excited when I'd mentioned Navy Pier; I couldn't wait to experience it with a kid, her enthusiasm was contagious. It had been decades since I'd last gone there to "play".

An eager knock on the door had me hurrying to grab my favorite Cubs hat and my keys. I casually opened the door to see my girls ready and waiting. As soon as Nessie saw that I was ready to go she started hopping down the stairs chanting, "lets go lets go lets go!"

"I think someone is a little bit excited," Bella whispered, turning her smile to me.

"I am too, I just think I'd hurt myself if I were to bounce down stairs like that, with my big feet."

"I wouldn't even have to be bouncing to hurt myself, it usually only takes a speck of dust to trip me up," she replied with humor.

I sought out her hand and pulled her in for a proper good morning kiss relishing in the softness of her lips and the fresh minty taste of her toothpaste. Right here, kissing Bella, was the most comfortable place I would ever be. There was no comparison. I couldn't even remember what it was like to kiss another woman. Bella had singlehandedly erased any and all thoughts of past relationships from my mind, not that there was much to purge in the first place.

"Mmmm, well good morning to you too," she smiled against my lips. We were preparing to continue our greeting when an impatient tweener at the bottom of the stairwell stomped and said, "stop being gross, we're wasting time!"

"Gross?" I cried in mock offense and hustled down the steps 2 at a time. Nessie squealed and started out the door. I caught her by the waist and tossed her over my shoulder, "I'll show you gross." I pulled her onto my hip and began blowing raspberries on her cheeks causing her to thrash her head back and forth, effectively whipping me with her braided pig tails. She began wiping her cheeks off as I set her down on the pavement in front of our building.

"Mo-m, Edward is soooooo gross," she said plaintively still scrubbing at her cheeks.

Bella simply chuckled and took Nessie's hand, "one day sweetie, you won't think it's yucky."

"Hopefully not until she's thirty," I whispered under my breath. Bella's eyebrow shot up and a rueful smile graced her lips. I returned the look with my own, questioning silently, "_what about it?"_

We hopped into my car and arrived at the pier shortly after 10, the sun was out and the weather was warming up quickly, though there was a breeze off the water to help keep things comfortable.

There were a ton of activities to do it was hard to decide where to start, so I let Nessie choose. We ended up on the carnival rides first, Bella suggested that might be a better activity before lunch. I paid for our tickets and we headed over to the Wave Swinger. Nessie was standing on the bottom rung of the rail waiting for our turn. I sighed contentedly as I draped my arms around Bella's waist from behind. She looked up and smiled as she relaxed into my chest and couldn't help but feel like my world was perfect right now.

Nessie and I raced to the swings. She chose the swing right behind me and Bella sat in the one next to me. Once all the other people were secured, the large apparatus lifted off the ground and slowly began its revolutions.

Nessie kept stretching her leg out trying to bump the back of my chair with her foot. At one point I could almost reach back and grab it, but as the speed of the swinger sped up, our chairs grew further apart. Bella kept reaching her hand out to me and we touched finger tips for just a moment before the distance became too great.

The ride began to slow and lower down back to the ground. We unbuckled and walked, the three of us hand-in-hand, to the exit.

"The view was great from what I could see, I had to close my eyes though when I felt like my stomach was trying to make an escape," Bella muttered as she shuffled slowly along, getting her balance back.

"I couldn't say since there was a little imp trying to kick the back of my chair," I nudged a giggling Renesmee's shoulder. "So where to next?"

"How about the Ferris Wheel?" Bella and Nessie said at the same time causing them both to shout "jinx" simultaneously. Nessie's eyes grew wide as did Bella's and I chuckled at both of them.

"Looks like it's going to be a pretty quiet ride since neither of you can talk now until I say your names." Nessie huffed and crossed her arms playfully. Bella looked up into my eyes with her melted chocolate stare and tried to break me down.

"Nuh un," I shook my head, puppy dog faces never worked on me anyway. Bella then stuck her lip out in a severe pout and crossed her arms too. That was just a bit too tempting though, to have her plump, rosy lips pursed together like that. I leaned in for a little smooch, but was summarily denied when she turned her head and sucked her lips back in.

"So that's how it's gonna be huh?" She nodded and lifted her chin defiantly. "Fine then," I smiled and climbed into the Ferris wheel gondola. I patted the seat next to me and said, "I think your mom is trying to be feisty. What do you think Renesmee?"

"Yipee! I get to talk now!" She sang as she plopped down next to my side. Bella glowered at me but composed her face into a mask of indifference. Nessie began discussing her friends and telling me all about Jacob. She talked about how he was teaching her to ride a skate board, which concerned me seeing as how she was Bella's daughter. Even though she wasn't quite as clumsy as her mother, the genes were still there. She was kneeling on the seat of the gondola looking at all of the scenery below us completely oblivious to the silent power struggle going on behind her.

Bella kept giving me pointed looks, wordlessly demanding that I release her from her self-imposed quietude. I simply smirked as she sat and fumed. Nessie continued to ramble on and on completely unconcerned for her mother's plight. The problem arose when Bella changed tactics.

Her eyes seemed to intensify and her lids closed ever so slightly. She slid down a bit in her seat crossing her beautiful legs, and began licking her lips slowly. I could feel the temperature rising and all of a sudden my power play seemed completely insignificant.

Bella threw a sexy wink in my direction, she puckered her lips Marilyn Monroe style, she was driving me completely insane. I had two options I could say her name and she'd reward me with a big fat kiss, or I could keep her jinxed and incur the wrath. Clearly there was no contest. I crossed to the other side of the gondola and scooted up next to her. Leaning in I whispered softly, "have I told you how beautiful you look today...Bella?"

"Ahh," she sighed, "no you haven't but don't think that sweet talking me is going to work."

She pushed a finger to my lips and pecked me on the nose. And there it was, option three. I'd never considered that there was an option three where I was damned if I did and damned if I didn't.

I slumped in defeat as the ride came to a stop and allowed the ladies to exit before I did. As we strolled down the walk towards some of the restaurants and shops, a tune popped in to my head. It was one of those moments where you feel almost as though you were struck by musical lightning or musical Tourette's syndrome. Before I had a chance to stop myself I started singing gruffly, "mana mana". I felt Nessie and Bella stop so I chanced a glance behind me and they were both grinning from ear to ear at each other. To my great surprise, they both grabbed my hands and finished the tune, "ba dee be dee bee."

There we were enjoying Navy Pier singing the Muppets and having more fun than I've had in years. I even improvised some poorly executed scatting and the girls played their parts perfectly looking at me as though I'd lost it. Every time someone would give us a sideways look, we just burst out laughing even harder. We were completely out of breath by the time we reached the shopping area. So we stopped on a bench and looked at the tourist map we'd picked up on the way in, trying to decide where to eat lunch.

As we stood up, I noticed a photo booth tucked in a corner away from the main flow of traffic. I grinned and pulled Bella and Renesmee over to the booth with me. We crammed ourselves into the tiny cubicle and Nessie fed the bills into the machine. We waited for the light and made our first pose, tongues out of course. The machine snapped 4 in all but I think my favorite was the last one. Nessie was between Bella and I and we were both kissing her cheeks, while she made fishy lips.

The rest of the day went by much less eventfully. We had a delicious lunch, we roamed through the children's museum, and finished the day with an interesting cooking adventure.

As we exited the museum Nessie said, "Mom! We have to make Fat Shaggies with Edward."

"What's a Fat Shaggy?" I asked. Bella smiled and grabbed my hand with a light squeeze.

"You'll see."

I came up to their apartment and watched as Bella quickly assembled ingredients from her refrigerator and freezer, presumably to make a batch of Fat Shaggies. I was a amazed that she had chocolate dipped strawberries on hand and was even more amazed when I saw what else she was preparing. My medical training kicked in and I began to fear for the health of my arteries.

So when I took a bite of my very first fat shaggy, I thought that maybe I'd died just a little. I pulled the confection from my lips and investigated the layers. At the heart was a ripe strawberry, dipped in chocolate, dipped in batter, fried, dusted in powdered sugar and the tip was dipped in a tiny bit of cocoa powder, so that it looked like Shaggy's beard.

"How on earth did you come up with this?"

"Crazy dream. We'd just finished watching an episode of classic Scooby Doo and when I woke up, I had to make these," she held up another Fat Shaggy and popped the whole thing in her mouth.

Nessie was licking the sugar off each one of her fingers before Bella scooted her off to get ready for bed.

I polished off 2 more and groaned, "my taste buds say thank you, my cholesterol levels do not."

"Yeah, they aren't the most healthy treat, I only make them once in a great while."

We cleaned up the dishes and I helped tuck Nessie in good night. We returned to the living room and snuggled on the couch just enjoying the quiet. I was stroking Bella's hair absentmindedly when a thought sailed in out of nowhere.

"So am I forgiven?" I looked down into her sleepy eyes and asked the question again with just my raised eyebrow.

"Hmmm, I don't now, you were awfully mean waiting so long to un-jinx me." She picked at the button of my polo shirt but didn't meet my gaze.

"I'm sure I could make it worth your while..." I trailed off, lifting her chin upward.

"I think I'll need a sample of whatever it is you're proposing."

I smiled widely as I leaned into her lips and placed a soft smoldering kiss there. I hadn't intended to, but when Bella became more insistent I was more than happy to oblige. Our heads turned slowly, languidly, as though we'd been doing this for years. Arms tangled, fingers knotted, breathing labored, and when we broke ever so slightly away from each other, I could tell we'd reached the end of our night.

**BPOV**

Seriously, how long does it take to get to Vegas and back? Those were the thoughts running through my mind as Edward left my apartment. Our "family" date to the pier had been amazing, more than amazing it was perfect. I know I shouldn't but I just keep waiting for the other shoe to drop, and so far it hasn't. Not where Edward is concerned.

Tuesday dawned and I felt refreshed and happy, even happier when I read the food column in the Tribune. Phil Vettel stopped just short of raving about the opening. His glowing review touted not only the quality and ingenuity of the food, but gave top marks to the service and décor. My little restaurant was taking off like a rocket and all I could do was hold on tight for the ride.

Ness gobbled her breakfast and headed outside where the rest of her friends were playing. I was so glad that she'd fallen in with a decent group of kids. Yes they were rowdy but they were at least good influences on each other. She was, much to Edward's chagrin, joined at the hip with Jacob. Those two were thick as thieves every time I saw them.

I'd finished everything I need to in my apartment so I decided to get some work done downstairs. When I got into my office down in the restaurant, I began looking over the receipts for the opening weekend and was blown away by the success that we'd had.

And while I was ecstatic about the huge response, I knew I had to prepare for a lull in the upcoming weeks. The first few weeks of a new restaurant are always busy and exciting, and I didn't want to get too caught up in that fact. I just had to keep us from flaming out, the cross promotion with The Cave would be a big help in that area.

I looked up at the clock and noted that Newton should be making our delivery soon so I began to clear some space in the walk-in and on a few of the shelves. It wasn't a large order, but we were getting some fresh fish and other temperature sensitive ingredients. Having everything ready I began to pace.

I made sandwiches and lemonade for the kids and watched as Nessie gingerly tried riding Jake's skateboard before setting the tray and pitcher down on a crate in the alley. They were filming for youtube again. I looked up and down hoping for any sign of the delivery truck but saw nothing. I returned inside and began pacing again. They were three hours late, we would be opening in less than 2 hours and there was still no sign of Newton anywhere.

I stormed into my office and violently jabbed at the keypad of the phone. Ring. Ring. Ring. "_Hi this is Mike Newton, of Newton Hospitality, leave a message and number where you can be reached and I'll return your call."_

"Mr. Newton, this is Bella Swan, I'm waiting on my delivery and you guys are late, you're putting me in an impossible situation. Please be aware that this is my warning, I'm putting you on notice. If I don't see your truck here within the hour you can forget about any future orders."

Kate and Eli showed up ready to work and all I could do was have them prep what little we still had available, most of the prep was needed for the fresh stuff that still hadn't arrived yet.

I heard some commotion from outside so I poked my head out the back door, only to see my order piled up haphazardly in the alley. The _unsigned_ invoice was flapping away into a mud puddle and Newton's van was careening down the street screeching to a halt at the end of the block.

I hefted a crate of fish, ran back inside and called for Eli and Kate to come help me move the boxes out of the heat. I leaned over to pick up another box but my hair fell in my face and as I whipped my head around a movement at the end of the alley briefly caught my attention. I didn't get the chance to try and analyze what I saw because the van peeled away and my focus returned to the perishables in the middle of the street.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Who does that? I mean really," Alice was incredulous when I'd told her about this afternoon's delivery.

"I left him a message, but he's definitely going to be hearing about it from me in the morning and if I don't get some answers, I'll...I'll," I stalled, "I don't know what I'll do but I won't take it lying down."

"You tell him Bella. Though you may want to know exactly what you'll _do_ before you go on the warpath," she playfully winked. She took some of the heat out of my tirade and I relaxed my forehead a little.

We finished all of the closing duties and said goodnight. I fumed the entire walk up to my apartment. Newton's had made 2 deliveries that were just fine, I couldn't for the life of me figure out why this one had gone so wrong. I was irritated and in a foul mood just thinking about the creepy Mike and his leaning into my bubble.

When I opened the door all of my annoyance melted away with the dazzling crooked smile of Edward, who was lounging on my futon sipping a Fresca. He offered to come up and stay with Ness after her "shift" was done, and I was so grateful for his presence in her life. Everything in my life seemed to lead up to now. I had never felt so right and everything was going so well, and today Mike Newton was the big black fly in my perfect potato salad life!

"Hey there beautiful," he crooned softly. I snorted in response, because I hadn't even looked in a mirror yet and I knew I was a mess. I yanked the elastic from my hair and pulled the sweaty bandana away from my brow.

"I think we need to get your eyes checked," I mumbled, peeling off my chef's coat and tossing it into the laundry closet.

"I can see just fine thank you, what's got you in such a mood?"

He motioned for me to sit in front of him on the floor, so I plopped myself down and went on to explain this afternoon's events and how it put us so far behind schedule. We ended up having to play catch up almost the entire night, and that always made me mad. Service time suffered which also made me really mad, but Rosalie and Carmen both assured me that the customers were thoroughly enjoying everything. Rosalie had even gone so far as to explain that we believed in a European dining schedule so people had time to enjoy their company and their food, which was kind of genius, so I felt better that the taste hadn't suffered.

"Sounds like this Newton guy is an unprofessional jerk," Edward soothed, using his magic fingers to ease away the tension in my shoulders. I yawned and gave an appreciative "mmmm" as he continued to knead my shoulder and neck muscles.

"I'm a give hmmm...piece of my mind," I yawned again and tilted my head back onto Edward's knees. My eyes were closed so I was a little startled when I felt the soft feathery kisses he was placing all over my face. I smiled, still with my eyes closed and whispered, "thanks hon."

"You are most welcome sugar."

"So you decided to go with sugar huh?"

"Mmhm," he hummed as he placed another soft up-side-down kiss on my lips and pushed me forward a bit. "Let's get you up and I'll help you get your bed ready." I nodded mutely and padded off to the bathroom to get ready for bed. When I returned to the living room Edward had already put the sheets on and turned down the covers.

I sleepily crawled in and burrowed into my pillow. He drew up the sheet and thin blanket to my chin and proceeded to tuck me in dropping little kisses on my lips as he fiddled with the edges of the bedspread. I could barely murmur a soft "I love you" as he was walking away.

"As long as you keep making Fat Shaggies, I'll love you forever."

I smiled from ear to ear and reached my hand out to him. We barely brushed fingers as he walked out of my apartment down to his and when I heard the lock turn and finally let my mind turn off. I could most definitely get used to being tucked in by Edward. I never wanted to get used to him walking away though. That night I had the strangest dreams ever.

**

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A/N: Who wants Edward to tuck them in? Send a little review and tell me what you thought of this chapter. Once it got rolling, it was fun to write. The link to the Mana mana song is on my profile. If you don't have a clue as to what it is, go check it out. And it's really late, so if you find a mistake let me know in a review and I will fix it. Merci!**

**The story of the Fat Shaggy...It really did come from a dream, at least the name did. In the dream, my sister and I were cruising around some southeast Asian town on a scooter. We passed by the cast of LOST and then we went up a hill and decided to give the scooter a break. So we walked down the road and my sister stopped at a vendor cart and made me buy her a fried dough thing called a fat shaggy. And that was that. So after I told her the dream, she called me later and told me what she thought a Fat Shaggy was. So I messed around, looked up some stuff online and gave it a taste test in mah kitchen, and it's naughty and delicious.**

**Fat Shaggies**

1) Wash and remove the leaves and stems of a carton of strawberries. Dip them in some melted chocolate (milk or semi sweet doesn't really matter) put them on a tray lined with parchment or wax paper and freeze them.

2) Coat the frozen berries in funnel cake batter (recipe below) and fry them in oil heated to 375 degrees F. They'll want to roll around in the oil, so just keep them moving until they are golden brown. Don't use a pot or pan with non-stick coating. Cast iron or stainless steel work best.

3) Remove from the oil and once cooled, toss them in a Ziploc bag with ½ C powdered sugar like "shake n' bake", then dip just one tip in a tiny bit of cocoa powder.

4) There will be extra funnel cake batter so pour the rest of the batter into a gallon sized Ziploc bag (it's easiest if you line a large cup-like a big gulp cup- with the bag and turn the edges over then pour the batter into the cup, pull the bag out and voila) snip the corner off the bag and use it like a pastry bag. Drizzle the batter around in circles and criss crosses until you've got the size cake you want. Cook it until it's golden brown on both sides, flipping once with tongs, drain on a paper towel and top with powdered sugar and fruit.

**Funnel Cake Batter**

* 1 eggs

* 2/3 cup milk

* 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon white sugar

* 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

* 1/8 teaspoon salt

* 3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1. In a medium bowl, mix salt, baking powder, and half of the flour. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, cream eggs, sugar and milk. Add flour mixture and beat until smooth. Continue to add remaining flour, but use only enough to achieve desired consistency. Batter will be thin enough to run through a funnel.


	18. Sliced Up Southern Style

**A/N: A million thanks to everyone, you guys are all awesome! FINAL ROUND OF VOTING FOR THE INDIE'S STARTS TODAY!!! Please go vote for **_**The Blood Crystal**_** in the "Best Secondary Story Line-Complete"(link is on my profile). I'll send Handyward over to tuck you in and fix your pipes.**

"**Down Home with the Neely's" is a show on the Food Network with a focus on Southern cooking.**

"**Doogie Howser M.D." was also a show featuring a teenage genius doctor.**

**Another big thanks to Sweetthunder for the beta work!**

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Tapas at Twilight**

**Chapter 17: Sliced Up Southern Style  
**

**EPOV**

It was becoming increasingly difficult to walk away from Bella at the end of the day. She and Renesmee had quickly become my whole world. As I returned to my empty apartment I was overcome by the cold and hollow feeling that surrounded me. All of the hours restoring and repairing the interior, building furniture and picking out decorations from all of my travels, even the piano that took a year to hand build to my specifications, it all seemed like a waste with out Bella here to share it.

Ideas of another staircase, some way to connect our two apartments, began filtering through my mind. I was mentally drawing blueprints to convert the entire building save the ground floor into one big house. The whole top floor could be Nessie's, and we would keep her piano up there, we could expand the kitchen down here. I wondered if the building next door was available for sale?

I sat down at my piano and shook my head trying to clear the presumptuous thoughts from my mind. Who was I to try and push anything on them. Bella was just now spreading her wings and was really taking flight. Why would she want to be saddled with all of my baggage? She didn't really need me.

My fingers took on a life of their own as I drifted through a series of soft chords echoing my mood. Bella deserved so much more than a handyman in her life. She deserved the man I used to be. I was trying to find him, but he just wasn't there anymore. Any desire I had to practice medicine died with Chelsea. My thoughts involuntarily threw up the image of her broken little body, the pain and sadness echoed in the music. I needed to replace that image, or it would haunt me all night long. I paused in my playing and tried to conjure up something, anything to change the mental channel stuck on death.

Thoughts of Bella and Nessie began creeping in and I opened wide the doors to my mind. Seeing Bella's smile, hearing Ness's laugh, the feeling of holding their hands as we walked, replaced some of my despair and it registered in the notes that fell from the grand instrument.

Just like that, the connection was made. I was just as empty and purposeless as my fancy apartment without Bella and Renesmee. They made me want to be a better man, and I liked that feeling. I never wanted it to go away. I needed to make Bella mine in every way possible, the sooner the better.

I finished the song, holding the sustain pedal until the final chord faded to nothing. I retired with a renewed sense of purpose and belonging in the world. I wanted Bella for my wife.

**BPOV**

I cooked my way through the next week without much incident. I called Newton the day after the botched delivery and he apologized profusely, stating they'd just hired a new driver and there must have been a huge miscommunication. He was falling all over himself trying to talk his way out of the hole he was in. I demanded a 25% discount on the next order and made sure he understood that another screw up would have more serious consequences. He was just darn lucky no one got sick from any of the food.

"Tapas Tuesday at The Cave" was a huge success. Emmett indicated that he was seeing a boost in numbers on the weekdays, and we were getting a steady stream of customers that had coupons from the club. Rosalie and Emmett were pretty much inseparable now so he was hanging out at the restaurant whenever he could and she was always over at the club after her shifts. I made sure she always took a fresh stack of coupons over.

Nessie was out with the gang and getting better and better on the skateboard. I was optimistic she had evaded my cursed clumsiness. She and Jake were documenting her progress and were going to edit down a video that we could all watch to see what they'd been up to all summer.

Edward had stopped in the kitchen briefly, and left me temporarily incoherent. I was still lingering in the moment when Jasper strolled in and tucked his belongings into one of the small lockers next to my office.

"It suits you," he stated, like we were in the middle of a conversation.

"Who wha?...huh?" I was still so completely befuddled by Edwards kisses I couldn't manage to string two words together.

"Love. You wear it well. I haven't seen you this happy since...well ever," he smiled warmly. "I'm really happy for you Bells."

Slowly coming out of my Edward-induced haze I returned the smile with my own and replied, "thanks Jazz, I'm happy for both of us. We really lucked out in the love department didn't we?"

"That we did. So boss, ready to get started?" he smacked his hands together and began rubbing them back and forth.

"Don't call me boss, and yes, we've got a lot of work to get done. Kate called and she's out with that nasty stomach bug going around, so it's just us until Eli gets here."

"Sounds good, Alice said she would be coming in around 2 to get things ready for service."

Jasper pulled out his 10" chefs knife and began honing the blade getting it ready to run through the baskets of onions and peppers we needed to chop. One of the first lessons I learned in culinary school was if your knife isn't sharp you're asking to lose a finger.

I washed the veggies and got to work on dicing onions. For a long while the only sounds you could hear were the "click click's" and "whish whish" of our knives on the cutting boards. That was what I loved best about Jasper, he never had a driving need to fill perfectly good silence with mindless chatter. Alice, on the other hand, always had a way of filling up every moment with meaningful conversation that left you feeling good about yourself and the whole world around you. I guess that's why they fit so well together.

When we both started cutting the carrots julianne style, the competitive nature in both of us flared. He kept going faster and faster, counting out loud how many he'd done, which served to egg me on.

"12! How many Swan, c'mon, how many?"

"10 Jazz, you suck."

"Who's your daddy? Say it baby who is your daddy?"

"Edward. Now don't make me have to put you over my knee," I laughed, grabbing two carrots to try and even out the count. I quickly lopped off the stems and tips, halved the root vegetables and brought my knife down right on my index finger. I guess I hadn't curled them under far enough before I began to run the knife through.

I hissed in pain and vaguely remember hearing my knife clattering to the floor. Jasper's eyes grew huge and faster than lightning he quickly grabbed the towel from his apron and launched himself on my finger. Thankfully Jasper knew how ridiculously weak I was around blood, especially my own blood.

"Crap Bells, what the heck? You haven't cut yourself in years," Jasper guided me to my office chair, still with a death grip on my finger.

I sat shakily in my chair and tried to take deep breaths through my mouth, if I smelled it, I'd be a goner for sure. I took over applying pressure to the finger and asked Jazz to send Ness home with Jacob. The blood was starting to ooze through the white flour sack towel and I could feel my head spinning dangerously.

"I'm gonna take a peek and see how bad it is okay?"

I know he tried to shield my eyes from the injury, but it couldn't be helped. As soon as he unwrapped the towel, blood began running down my finger and I could see the meaty flap of finger tip dangling by a tiny thread of skin. My brain shut down and I slipped into the black oblivion of unconsciousness.

After a while of floating through nothing I heard the beeping and felt a strange disembodied tug on my hand. My eyes fluttered open and Jasper had his face right up in my grill.

"Woman, don't you ever do that again. You had us all scared half to death."

"Jazz? What's going on?" I glanced around the room and saw Dr. So and So, sewing up my finger. I felt a pinch in my wrist where an IV had been placed. I hated hospitals. I squeezed my eyes closed and tried not to think about what my finger looked like before we got to the hospital.

"You're lucky Ms. Swan, it wasn't a total amputation, it's gonna hurt and will probably take a while to get full sensation back in the tip of that finger but you should make full recovery," said Dr. Whatchamacallit.

"Where's Edward?" I rasped, my throat dry and scratchy.

"He'll be here soon, I had to have the doctor assure him that you weren't in mortal peril before he agreed to finish what he was doing."

"Good, he doesn't need to be dropping everything to watch me get my fingertip embroidered."

I glanced up at the clock and saw that it was less than 2 hours 'til we opened.

"Shoot Jazz, there was supposed to be a delivery today, did Eli get there?" He began waving his hands up and down trying to soothe me but I was having a hard time between Dr. Whatshisname yanking on my finger and the clock hands taunting me with their unceasing tick tocking.

"Don't worry, Alice got there a few minutes before Newton's truck arrived. She said they were quick, but nothing seemed out of place."

I slumped back onto the inclined bed and blew out a shaky breath. Time was slipping away and we needed the restaurant open. "Jasper you need to get back. The prep still needs to be finished and I don't want us to get behind like we did last time." He eyed me warily and looked up at the generic clock, his mouth pulled down in a frown.

"You sure you're gonna be okay?"

"I'm sure, just go! Make sure Alice doesn't freak out any more than she already is, and tell Ness I'm fine okay?" He nodded once and hustled out of the exam room we were in.

It felt like this was taking forever. I scowled at the side of the doctor's head, wondering if this was the first time he'd ever sewn anyone up. He looked like he was 18, with floppy hair pushed from one side across his forehead to the other side. I never understood how anyone could stand having their hair flattened on to their face like that. It would drive me nuts. He sat there hunched over my finger with his tongue half hanging out of his mouth in concentration, precisely placing each stitch, like he was going to get graded on whether the thread was evenly spaced 1 millimeter apart for every pass. I was about to bust his chops for taking so darn long when the door burst open and Edward flew to my side completely beside himself.

"Edward," I breathed.

"Bella, thank goodness you're okay," he fluttered his hands all around my face and other hand. He kissed me with some hesitancy, but soundly none the less. And as if I could see a physical shift in his whole person, Edward went into doctor mode. And sweet merciful heavens, if it wasn't just about the sexiest thing I'd ever seen, I don't know what was.

"I'm Dr. Cullen, what are her injuries?" he questioned Dr. Doogie, all business like.

"I uh...well um..." The junior doctor looked at me asking what I wanted him to say. I rolled my eyes and barked out, "tell him, he's a doctor and my boyfriend."

He nodded dutifully and swallowed hard, "Ms. Swan sustained a 90% guillotine style amputation of the distal end of her left index finger."

"Jeez Bella," he raked his hands through his hair and stalked over to where the sewing class was going on. "You're lucky the nail bed wasn't involved. How many?" Edward looked down at Doogie obviously asking for a stitch total.

"Thirty six, it w..was a multi layered cl..closure," he stammered as he tied off the last stitch.

Edward scrutinized the needle skills and seemed to be pleased. He set my hand down and gave a gruff nod to Dr. Floppy Hair, and returned to the other side of the bed.

"So when can I blow this joint? I've got a restaurant to run," I swung my legs to the side of the bed and moved to pull my hair up when I felt the IV tug on my wrist. "Ugh, I really hate hospitals."

"I'll go g..get the nurse to remove your IV, you're blood pressure looks fine now so as soon as the paperwork is done you're free to go," replied Dr. Mighty Mend it as he scurried out of the room.

Edward grabbed the chart from the pocket next to the door and began scanning over the information on the clipboard.

"Is your blood pressure always this low?"

"Yeah, I usually run 100/55."

"No wonder you're prone to syncope," he muttered. He looked back down and a series of hmms and head nods came from his direction until he replaced the chart back in the plastic holder.

"At least they didn't give you anything strong in the IV. Your finger, however, should be numb for a couple of hours due to the Lidocaine."

I crooked my finger beckoning him closer and patted the bed next to me. He sat down and took my good hand in both of his and began rubbing them softly over my knuckles. I was very quickly being dazzled and reduced into a useless pile of jelly.

"You do realize how completely sexy you are in doctor mode don't you?"

A series of complex and conflicting emotions flashed across his face, reminding me that he still had not dealt with his horrifying experience in New Hampshire. I reached up and brushed a lock of wayward hair back into the mess occupying the top of his head, soothing his wrinkled brow at the same time. He closed his eyes and gently shook his head back and forth.

I leaned in and kissed him softly, murmuring, "well, you are. Sexy as all get out. Edward, you were meant to be doing this, not fixing Mrs. Shapiro's toilets or radiator, not replacing sheet rock because some kid got pissed and put his fist through the wall." He sighed softly, we'd had this discussion before.

"No one dies if I'm off by an inch when I fix the drywall. No one gets hurt if I crack the lid of the toilet."

"No one, except you. Your purpose is to heal people Edward, not their plumbing. Every minute you spend away from this, all of this, it hurts you. I don't want it to hurt you so much, you can't heal."

I looked on him feeling the guilt and sadness he was still experiencing after so long, wishing there was more I could do for him.

"Edward, I think you might find it helpful to talk to a counselor. My grief counselor was like my life preserver when Eric died. I would not be here, as I am, with out her help." He looked doubtful and so stricken I couldn't bear to push the issue any more.

"Just promise me you'll think about it okay?"

"I promise."

The exam door opened and a nurse came in with my discharge instructions. She removed the IV and suggested making an appointment to have the stitches removed, but Edward assured her that he would take care of them for me. I was just glad to not have to come back to the stupid hospital. I gathered up my things and walked out to Edward's car thankful to be out of there.

When we got back to the restaurant the kitchen was in an uproar. Jasper, calm even keeled Jasper, was hollering at Eli, who was yelling right back. Alice was trying to keep peace between the two of them, Rose and Maria were moving at hyper speed, and Nessie was curled up in the chair in my office looking concerned that all the adults were in a state of sheer panic. I pulled her into a big hug and walked back into the fray.

"Hey what's going on?" I surveyed the cutting boards and it only took a few whiff's to recognize we weren't cooking our regular fare. "What in the world is going on and why does it smell like we're cooking for an episode of 'Down Home with the Neely's'?"

Alice ran to my side and cried, "I'm sorry Bella it's all my fault, they came and unloaded the stuff, and I looked through the top box but then Sam came in with a bloody nose, and I was the only grown up around still. And then the delivery guy started getting all pissy about how he was going to be late for his next delivery, and I was about to give the jerk a piece of my mind, but then Sam sneezed blood and crap all over so I had to clean it up and the driver was tapping his foot at me like I was tweezing my eyebrows or something,"

"Cut to the chase Alice," I snapped.

"All of the other boxes had the wrong stuff, I'm so sorry Bella." she frowned.

"What do you mean the wrong stuff?"

"Like instead of the ribeyes, we have baby back ribs. Instead of baby spinach, we have collard greens. Instead of pancetta, we have fatback, and you little lady, are dang lucky that I grew up in the south and know how to use all this stuff," smiled Jasper.

Rosalie came in with a stack of legal sized cardstock and she and Maria began stuffing them in front of the original menus. I snatched one off the top of the stack earning a hearty glare from Rose, but not really caring at all. I glanced over the new menu and was pleasantly surprised. We were 15 minutes to opening and I was getting excited but extremely nervous at the same time. I trusted Jasper completely but I'd never sampled any of his southern cookin'. I was flying blind and I didn't like it.

"Alice, you and Ness help Rose and Maria, make sure our "face" has a good front. We'll work it out here in the back okay?" I kissed the top of Nessie's head and sent her off with Alice.

"Bella, take it easy okay? I don't want you passing out again," Edward reached around me and pulled me in tightly.

I leaned back and looked into his concerned eyes, losing myself a little in their green depths, "I promise, I won't over do it."

"I'll watch her Edward, don't worry," added Jasper.

Edward nodded and exited into the hallway and back up to his apartment. I turned to Jasper, pulling on a latex glove to cover my bandages, "looks like I'm your sous chef tonight. This is your baby, so tell me where you want me."

My body went into autopilot as I followed Jasper's instructions. My mind, though, was scrambling to find a way to fix things with Newton. I had no idea what I would _do_ to remedy the situation, but something had to be done. I needed a supplier.

**MPOV**

I was expecting a call, something like last time. Maybe she was just full of hot air when it came to hurling threats in my direction. What was she gonna do? No one would listen to her anyway.

Jessica had called me that night. I'd sent her to witness the chaos and document what kind of crap came out of the kitchen. The report was not good. She claimed that no one looked the least bit flustered, all of the food was really good, and you couldn't tell that anything out of the ordinary had happened.

Not good at all. James wanted to throw as many road blocks up for Swan as he could without arousing too much suspicion, and he was paying me a pretty penny to do it. I couldn't understand how they could work around that. I packed the boxes myself. They had the lowest quality stuff I could find. And almost all of it was wrong. I hoped to high heaven that James didn't send Victoria for this report. She nearly ripped my throat out the last time I'd tampered with one of the deliveries to Swan and it got them nowhere.

I unlocked my office and was delightfully surprised to find a large gift basket on my desk. I peered through the fancy cellophane so see a stack of what looked like double chocolate brownies. _Somebody wants something from me._ I thought to myself as I ripped into the plastic film. Well, who cares what they want, I'm in it for me and me alone. I grabbed the first brownie and gave it a taste, it was good, maybe the best I'd ever had.

I'd horked a good 6 or 7 large chocolate squares down my throat when I noticed a piece of paper with writing on it underneath all of the brownies. I pulled it out shaking off the crumbs and stuffed another brownie in my mouth. As I read the grease splotched note, I could feel the blood draining from my face.

_Dear Mr. Newton,_

_I hope you are enjoying my gift. I'm sorry to have to do things this way, actually no, I'm not sorry. I warned you once and you deliberately sent over a completely wrong order. I have already stopped payment on that check and informed my lawyer. I don't know who you're working for, but I hope they're paying you well, because you messed with the wrong person._

_Consider yourself BLACKBALLED. I've already contacted the Better Business Bureau, and every trade rag in the state of Illinois. You'll be lucky if you can find a hotdog vendor on the street who'll buy the garbage you sell._

_Have a fantastic day!_

_Bella Swan_

_PS: I do hope you enjoy the ex-lax brownies._

"Jessica! Jessica!" My frizzy-haired overweight office manager hoofed it into my office and ogled the brownies on my desk.

"What is it Mike?" she asked in her scary man-voice, swiping at her poofy hair with her man-hands.

"Get James over here now," she nodded and reached for a brownie.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

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A/N: So did Mike get what was coming to him? Let me know what you thought. As for the menu, let me say I KNOW good ribs take a lot longer than an hour to make, but they had to make do since Mike is a jerk. **

**Still more to come...thanks for all of your wonderful reviews, I truly do love every one of them!**

**Baby back ribs with Tropical BBQ sauce**: From Down Home with the Neelys

Tropical Rub:

* 1/2 cup paprika

* 3 tablespoons Chinese five-spice powder

* 2 tablespoon salt

* 1 tablespoon dried ginger

* 1 tablespoon dry mustard

* 1 tablespoon black pepper

* 3 racks baby back ribs

For the Tropical Rub:

* Whisk all ingredients together.

Preparing the Ribs

Directions

Rinse and dry ribs. Place on a clean cutting board and pull off the membrane, the thin fatty skin that lines the underside of the ribs. Trim the ribs of excess fat and meat. Liberally season both sides of the ribs with 1/4 cup of the tropical dry rub. Wrap ribs in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours so flavors can permeate.

Preheat grill to 200 to 225 degrees F using charcoal and indirect heat.

Place ribs meatier side down on the grill away from the flame. Cook the ribs 2 to 2 1/2 hours total, turning the ribs halfway through, until ribs bend.

Tropical BBQ Sauce:

* 1 1/2-inch knob ginger, finely chopped

* 1 jalapeno, stem removed

* 3 green onions, chopped

* 2 tablespoon vegetable oil

* 2 1/2 cups ketchup

* 1/2 cup mango juice

* 1/2 cup passion fruit juice

* 1/2 cup cider vinegar

* 1/4 cup dark molasses

* 1 teaspoon dry mustard

* Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a food processor, add the ginger, jalapeno and green onion. Pulse until they are finely chopped. In a medium saucepan, add the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the ginger mixture and saute until tender. Combine the ketchup, mango juice, passion fruit juice, cider vinegar, molasses and dry mustard in a bowl and add to the saucepan. Season with salt and pepper. Let simmer for 10 minutes for the flavors to blend.


	19. That's Nacho Cheese

**A/N: Let me start by saying how awesome you guys are! The response to last chapter was the best ever. I'm glad you all liked how Mike got pwned. And NO I'm not going to be giving out an Ex-Lax Brownie recipe!**

**Voting is still going on for the Indietwific awards...if you haven't yet, PLEASE go cast a vote for **_**TheBlood Crystal**_** in the ****Best Secondary Story Line~Complete**** category!**

**And I just found out that **_**The Blood Crystal **_**was also nominated at The Red Moon Awards. Those nominations are opened until Aug 1 I think. The link is on my profile. Thanks OliviaJane!**

**Definitions for this chapter: **

_**Kankles**_**= when the ankle is as thick as the lower leg and knee.**

_**Headneck**_**=same thing as kankles, except when there's little or no definition between the neck and head.**

**Thanks again to Sweetthunder for being an awesome Beta and a great sounding board. Ugly Jessica was all her idea :)**

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Tapas at Twilight:**

**Chapter 18:That's Nacho Cheese  
**

**JPOV**

I got a call from Newton's office assistant demanding that I come to his place of business. He had a lot of nerve trying to summon me like a servant. Jessica rambled on and on about some silly basket of brownies but I brushed her off and said I'd come over in the morning.

When I arrived at the pathetic little warehouse I strolled in and ignored Jessica, the woman was positively beastly. Her masculine features were overwhelming, from the bizarre headneck to the tree stump kankles, it was a wonder anyone would hire this woman to be the face of their establishment.

I barged into the small office and looked around but Mike was no where to be found. I heard a strangled moan from the door beyond his desk and called out, but there was still no reply. Surveying the desk I saw a greasy piece of paper and noticed a half full basket of the horrid American confections. As I read the note, it became clear where Mike was and what the sorry sack was doing.

He staggered out of the restroom and fell limply into his chair. I can't believe I actually thought this pathetic excuse of a man could actually do what I needed done. "Well?"

"It's finished. She never skipped a beat, nothing we did got her flustered. You're finished dude."

I sneered at the naïvety of this moron. "No Mike, it's you who are feenished. My beesness is just fine, yours is in zee crapper. I'll give you 'alf of what we discussed since you couldn't even pull it off."

"No way man, you either pay up or I'll expose your plan to ruin her," he tried to puff himself up, but looked more like a pitiful blowfish than anything else.

"You have nossing Mike, no proof tying me to anysing," I laughed, tossing an envelope onto his desk and striding out of the miserable little building for the last time.

**BPOV**

I sat in my office wondering if that slimy _leaner_ Newton was becoming more intimately acquainted with his toilet yet. It was one of Alice's more ingenious ideas to send the brownies, and one that I agreed with wholeheartedly. She was more than enthusiastic to denounce Newton's unprofessional behavior across the state.

Feeling vindicated for the moment, I sifted through my files looking for the list of potential suppliers that Jasper made before _Tapas_ had opened. I pulled a black marker out of my desk and happily obliterated Newton Hospitality from the list. A few phone calls later and we were set up with a new supplier and I took a moment to breathe a little sigh of relief.

The weekend rolled by with a small increase in patronage. All of the coupons and word-of-mouth advertising were paying off in huge amounts. I was a little concerned that our kitchen and clean up staff wasn't going to be able to keep up for much longer.

Monday morning I awoke to the delicious smell of bacon and the sounds of giggling in the kitchen. I groggily plodded my way through the living room and smiled lazily at the sight before me.

Edward was wearing a thin black t-shirt, a pair of scrub pants and my favorite apron, turning bacon in the frying pan while Nessie was happily mixing pancake batter, still in her Hello Kitty nightgown. They were whispering something back and forth and whatever Ness said made Edward laugh out loud but then clamp his hand over his mouth.

"'Sokay, I'm awaaaaaaaake," I yawned, trying to rub the sleep out of my eyes. "How did you get in?"

Edward reached over and jingled his keys, "landlord, remember?" I just rolled my eyes and came over to inspect the preparations. I added a little more milk to the pancake batter and helped Nessie give it a good strong whisk.

I leaned into Edward, who had stepped away from the spattering bacon, to give him a kiss on the cheek. He tried to turn his head so I had to grab his jaw to keep him from getting too strong of a whiff of my nasty morning breath. He started to pout so I just pointed to my mouth and motioned that I needed to brush.

When I got into the bathroom I decided to use some of the sample toothpaste Nessie got from the dentist at her last visit: vanilla ice cream flavor. Best. Stuff. Ever.

On my way back out Ness ran past me into her bedroom. I heard a few drawers open and shut quickly followed by the click of the bathroom door. The shower came on so I figured that gave me a good 20 minutes alone with Edward. Ness had become more and more conscious of her hygiene and grooming since she began hanging out with Jacob. I sighed thinking, _welcome to the world of pre-pubescence._

I snuck into the kitchen coming up quietly behind Edward and began raking my hands down his back. He hunched his shoulders forward and began humming in appreciation for the "scratchers"; that's what Nessie always called them when she wanted back scratches.

He righted his posture and scooped the last of the bacon out of the pan and swapped the skillet for the cast iron griddle. He then turned to face me and wrapped his arms around my waist.

"I think it's time a gave you a proper good morning kiss now, don't you?"

"I would have to agree with that."

He leaned down and began moving his lips softly with mine. As he deepened the kiss he managed to mumble an, "mmmmmmmmmm". He broke away and smiled, "you taste so good, I mean you always taste good even when you have alleged 'dragon breath', but right now I just want to eat you up." He started running soft nibbles up to my ear causing a delightful shiver to run down my spine.

"Vanilla ice cream toothpaste," I stated breathlessly.

"They make that?" he paused in his attention to my neck.

"Yeah, Ness got it from the pediatric dentist on her last visit."

"Do they make if for grown ups? I think you should invest in some, though I'd never stop kissing you if you did."

That crooked smile erupted and he dipped his head back down, returning to the task devouring of my lips. He gently lifted me up onto the counter making it much more comfortable on my neck to continue our good morning.

His hands roamed up and down the sides of my body causing me to melt at his touch. I wrapped my legs around his waist pulling him in closer to me and pressed my tongue softly against his lip suckling gently. He moaned his approval again and tightened his arms around my back.

I started to smell the iron of the pan overheating and pulled back from the consuming passion flowing between us. "Too hot," I whispered.

"You are Bella. Much too hot," he whispered, still breathing hard. I nudged him away from me playfully and nodded toward the stove.

"The pan Edward, it's getting too hot. The pancakes will burn before they're all the way cooked."

He grumbled a bit and reached over to turn the heat down. Just then, the shower shut off and I knew our grown up time had run out for now. It was lucky my hair still looked like a haystack from when I sleeping. I'm sure it would've been a mess if I'd taken the time to fix it before. I guess it was a good thing I hadn't.

I got to making pancakes while Edward put away the futon. Nessie took the dishes set out on the counter and began preparing our little breakfast table. Edward came back into the kitchen and leaned his back against the counter resting his palms on the edge.

"I love mornings like this. I love feeling like a..." he trailed off looking wistfully at nothing in particular.

"Like what Edward?"

"Like a family," he smiled softly.

"Really?" He was saying the magic words, and I hoped and prayed that he meant them.

He was nodding as he continued softly, "you and Ness are everything I never knew I was missing. I hate having to leave you at the end of the night. I want to change those arrangements soon." He leaned over and kissed my neck quickly, filling my mind briefly with hazy thoughts of forever. He picked up the plate full of pancakes just as I flipped the last one on to the top of the stack and headed out to the table where Nessie was waiting for us.

I grabbed the bacon and sat down to enjoy our morning together as a family, wondering exactly what Edward meant by "soon".

**EPOV**

I left the girls to do some work for a few hours and the whole time I was gone, I counted the minutes until my date with Bella tonight. Alice had offered to watch Nessie for the evening so we could go out and enjoy a grown up date, and I couldn't wait.

Emmett and I had actually planned a double date so I was pretty sure we were guaranteed a good time with him around. I just hoped that Rose didn't come off like a total ice queen.

After showering and getting dressed for the evening I sat down with my laptop. I had time to kill before I picked up Bella and wanted to make a good faith effort towards keeping the promise I had made to her.

I scrolled through the list of therapists and clicked on the first one skimming through their mission statement half-heartedly. I felt this crushing sense failure, like I couldn't "work it out" on my own. I noticed, though, that they had a special emphasis on helping those within the therapeutic professions community.

I glanced down at my watch; it was only 4:30. Wrestling back and forth between my pride and my desire to be a better man for Bella and Renesmee was exhausting. My mind was tired, and I didn't have it in me to fight my pride anymore. I decided to take the next step without any prodding from Bella. If she could overcome the loss of her husband, I could at least try to begin coping with the loss of a patient couldn't I? I placed the call, set up an appointment and then tried my best not to think about it too much.

We dropped off Nessie at Alice's place and headed over to the bowling alley to meet Emmett and Rosalie.

"So who's bright idea was it to go bowling?" Bella looked so sexy in her black lace trimmed tank top and tight jeans.

"Three guesses and the first two don't count," I smirked.

"Emmett," she stated. Having spent a fair amount of time together over the last few weeks, we'd come to learn all about Emmett's penchant for what he called "retro" games. Darts, bowling, Skee-ball, and foozball were among his favorites. After a few minutes of waiting Rosalie and Emmett turned the corner. Rose stopped short and rounded on Emmett.

"I swear, you big oaf, if I break a nail I will _not_ be happy," she seethed. Rosalie's eyes were narrowed so tightly into slits, I wondered how she was still able to see.

"Don't worry Baby," Emmett replied jovially walking past her, "you can always roll it granny-style." With that her eyes flew open and fast as lightning her hand shot out and gave a sharp smack on the back of his head.

"So violent Rosie, you know what that does to me," Emmett waggled his eyebrows and pulled her in for a kiss. When they finally came up for air, Emmett thrust his hand toward mine and initiated the one-armed bro hug.

He leaned in a gave Bella a friendly peck on the cheek and proceeded to take the lanes by storm declaring, "let's get this party started!"

We followed after him to the shoe rental counter and then headed over to our lane assignment. "Lucky number 13," bellowed the bear of a man. I ran up to the snack bar and ordered some nachos and root beer. I groaned as I looked up and saw the stupid nick-names Emmett had entered into the computer for each of us: _Handyward, SmellyBelly, Emmenator and Venus. _How original.

Of course I was up first. I chose my ball, a sparkly red one, and lined myself up. It had been years since the last time I'd gone bowling, but I figured it was like riding a bike. I willed my muscles to remember how to do this and started with what was once my usual swagger. I walked through the paces, took my back swing, and released the ball allowing my right foot to slip behind and to the side of my left foot, earning a respectable 9. I tried to aim for the last pin and missed it by a hairs breadth. I turned back to the seating area and immediately got suspicious when I saw the look on Emmett's face.

"So Bella," Emmett leaned forward and pointed at Bella's hand, "what's with the mini-condom on your finger?"

My brow furrowed until I looked down at Bella's injured finger and noticed the little latex sheath she had over the bandage.

"Way to be tactful Emmett," sneered Rosalie issuing another sound whack to Emmett's head.

"Nice Em, it's actually called a finger cot, and it helps keep the bandage dry while I'm in the kitchen but doesn't get my hand all sweaty like a full sized latex glove. I guess I forgot to take it off after I washed the dishes this afternoon."

"How is it feeling?" asked Rosalie, which surprised me a little. Rose never seemed like she wanted to initiate actual conversation with Bella. Ever. But because Bella is gracious and kind, she responded genuinely, "it's doing better, at least it's on my left hand so I can still do this."

Bella's stood up next and picked up a purple swirly ball standing awkwardly a few steps away from the foul line. She took a tentative step and flailed her arm back then forward and released the ball with a loud thump. It rolled lamely down the lane and started curling sharply to the left. By the time it reached the pins it was so far off the mark it barely grazed the 7 pin, which wobbled a bit but never fell.

When she turned around her lips were puckered in the most adorable pout ever. I wanted to snatch her away and kiss the living daylights out of her. Emmett's guffaw echoed loudly in the sparsely populated alley causing a furious blush to erupt on Bella's cheeks.

"Bells, how long has it been since you've been bowling?"

"Ummm, I think I was 8 the last time I went?" she squeaked. Emmett continued to chuckle and the need to protect her surged through me like a shockwave. I shot Emmett a look that said _knock it off NOW_, and he got the message pretty quick. Bella wasn't much for being put on display and with everyone watching each time it was her turn, I knew she was putting herself out of her comfort zone.

When the ball shot up out of the return, I picked it up and handed it gently to Bella. After I brushed her long hair behind her shoulder I leaned down and whispered, "would you like me to help you?"

She glanced up at me and raised her eyebrow as a wicked grin spread across her face. She nodded demurely and turned back around toward the pins.

I wrapped my arms around her and softly explained the mechanics of the throw, allowing my arms to brush along her sides. She giggled a bit and leaned forward increasing the contact between our bodies. I bit back the groan that threatened to escape and placed a soft kiss behind her ear. She shivered and then smiled as she went through the motions and threw the ball, much straighter this time. We all cheered when 4 of the 10 pins were knocked down.

As she returned to the seats I couldn't help but admire the sway of her hips and the wicked grin on her lips. She screamed in surprise when I grabbed her around the waist and pulled her on to my lap.

"You are not being nice teasing me like that," I growled.

"Same goes for you mister. Turn about is fair play." She put a sweet kiss on my hungry lips, and hopped off to sit next to Rosalie.

"Watch and learn Bella, watch and learn," boasted Emmett. He picked up the 16 pounder, did a ridiculous Fred Flintstone impersonation and hurled the ball down the lane. The pins went flying in all directions and I wouldn't be surprised if a few of them cracked.

"Nice strike babe," purred Rosalie.

"That's what I do," he smiled, reaching both hands behind his head in a display of satisfaction.

Rosalie stood up and waited a moment. When Emmett's ball came back up the return, she picked it up and with calculated precision she swayed down the hardwood floor and released the ball like a cobra strike. I glanced at Emmett who watched with open mouthed awe as the ball curved gracefully right in between the 1 and 3 pins, effectively knocking down each and every one almost silently.

She turned and sauntered back to the seats examining her nails for any potential damage. Emmett was still gaping at her like a fool, yet he managed to utter, "I love you Rosalie Lillian Hale."

The rest of the round was filled with the same kinds of antics and flirting. Just like Rose did for Emmett, Bella had my number. I was a fool for her and would do anything to see her smile. And because I was a glutton for punishment, I invited her to come to my place after we left the bowling alley.

**JPOV**

_Le Provençale_ was struggling. Our usual clientele was half what it used to be. And I knew it was because of Isabella Swan. Newton was a complete disaster, the man couldn't even botch a delivery properly.

I needed to step up my game, hit her where it hurts. But how to get close? She knew everyone at my place; I needed an unknown. I pulled out my cell phone and dialed. _I never thought I would be making this call_. The phone rang a few times before a gruff voice answered.

"Hello?"

"Allo Jessica? Zis is James. I 'ave a propozition for you."

"What kind of proposition?" the husky voice asked.

"Look, zee Mike ship eez sinking quickly, 'ow would you feel about coming to work wiss me? I 'ave a special projée zat I need your 'elp wiss?"

There was a long pause and I worried that maybe she wouldn't agree.

"I'm listening," came the reply.

I put my hands together and thought, _excellent._

**

* * *

A/N: What the heck? Dun dun dun, what is going to happen, I'll bet y'all are dying to know that huh? I'll just let you know we're still only about 2/3 done with this story...I always love to hear theories, so let me know what you're thinking! 15 seconds is all it takes for a super quick review. You could always leave a longer one if you'd like though. ;)**

**Nachos**

* 2 cloves garlic, crushed

* 6 green onions, sliced, white parts and tops separated

* 3 tablespoons canola oil

* 1 shredded, cooked, whole chicken breast

* salt and pepper to taste

* 1 cup salsa

* 1/2 (12 ounce) package tortilla chips

* 1 (8 ounce) package shredded Cheddar/Monterey Jack cheese blend

* 1/2 large tomato, diced

**Directions**

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. In a 12 inch skillet over medium heat, cook and stir the garlic and white parts of the green onions in canola oil until tender. Mix in shredded chicken, salt and pepper. Toss until well coated with oil. Stir in the salsa.

3. Arrange tortilla chips on a large baking sheet. Spoon the chicken mixture over tortilla chips. Top with Cheddar/Monterey Jack cheese blend and tomato. Bake in the preheated oven 10 minutes, or until cheese has melted. Remove from heat and sprinkle with green onion tops before serving.

**Homemade Root Beer**

* 6 cups white sugar

* 3 1/3 gallons cold water

* 1 (2 ounce) bottle root beer extract

* 4 pounds dry ice

Directions

1. In a large cooler, mix together the sugar and water, stirring to dissolve sugar completely. Stir in the root beer extract. Carefully place the dry ice into the cooler, and cover loosely with the lid. Do not secure the lid, as pressure may build up.

2. Let the mixture brew for about an hour before serving. Leftover root beer can be stored in one gallon milk jugs.


	20. Even The Best Ingredients Can Spoil

**A/N: Thanks so much for all the great reviews! I'm glad everyone is wondering about Jessica...Things are gonna get bumpy for the next few chapters, so hold on tight.**

**

* * *

Tapas at Twilight**

**Chapter 19: Even The Best Ingredients Can Spoil**

**BPOV**

The sun was streaming in through the windows but I wasn't ready to wake up quite yet. I shifted away from the light and burrowed my face into Edward's chest. _Edward's chest?_ I popped my head up and took in my surroundings. Edward had one hand flopped over his face and the other wrapped securely around my middle, while I was precariously perched on the edge of the couch with one leg draped over his.

Another quick look around and I saw the TV was still on, the title screen of the DVD we'd watched had reset, and the empty bowl of popcorn was still on the coffee table. I rested my head back down and smiled as Edward's arm tightened around me. I could wake up like this everyday for the rest of my life.

I felt his breathing pick up and glanced up towards his face. "Hey you," he said, sleep thick in his voice.

"Morning," I smiled. Edward released his grip on my waist just as I shifted to sit up and stretch. I ended up sliding off the couch and landing on the floor. Edward looked at me and immediately reached out to help me up, but all I could do was laugh. We both laughed so hard I didn't have the strength to take his hand so he just slid down on the floor beside me. I rested my head on his shoulder and couldn't stop the groaning yawn that escaped. He followed right after me with a bellowing yawn of his own. Edward nudged me playfully and gave a little groan while rubbing the back of his neck.

"Next time we fall asleep let's at least make it to a bed. My neck is killing me."

"This was an accidental sleep over mister, don't expect a repeat performance any time soon," I teased. He scooted behind me and wrapped both arms around me tightly.

"But I like sleep overs," he purred in my ear sending delightful chills over my skin.

"Come on, I need to go pick up Nessie and then I need to start getting ready for tonight. I have Cave duty tonight."

I stood and turned to pull him up only to have him pull me back down on to his lap.

"Well, if you're going to be busy today then I'd better enjoy every last second I get with you." He began nuzzling my neck tickling my already sensitive skin with his stubble. I couldn't contain the giggles that shook through my body.

"Laughing when your man is kissing you is not a huge self-confidence builder," he mumbled against my neck causing me to squirm even more.

"Well then maybe you should think twice about kissing me with all of this," I rubbed his jaw, "mister scratchy-face."

"I can go shave, it'll only take a minute," he pleaded. I wrapped my arms around him and savored his lips until I had to break away for some much needed air.

"You go shave, I have to go get Nessie. I'll see you tonight when the restaurant closes okay?"

"Okay," he sighed and mumbled something about cold showers under his breath.

I knew this was hard on him, on me as well, but I couldn't back down from my beliefs about being a good example for Renesmee. This relationship was still so new, and even though it felt so right and I truly love Edward with all my heart, I wasn't willing to cave in the heat of the moment. You only get one chance at a first time and I wasn't going to waste mine and Edwards. I reached up and stroked his cheek, "I love you Edward. Thank you for understanding."

He sighed and leaned into my hand turning his vibrant green eyes to mine, "I love you too Isabella, more than I can possibly say."

We shared a few more lingering kisses, I stroked his stubbly face, he pulled a few kernels of pop corn from my hair, and we parted for the day. I was so grateful for this amazing man in my life.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Our routine became familiar and comfortable. Edward, Renesmee and I spent as much time together as we could. Ness was also thoroughly enjoying her time with Jacob and his little pack of friends. Edward was even managing to not be completely annoyed every time Jake was around Nessie. When she asked if Jake could come on our next family outing Edward heaved a great sigh and agreed that it would be okay for him to come along.

Summer vacation was more than half over for Nessie; she'd be starting back to school in a little more than a month.

The restaurant was doing really well; I was constantly overwhelmed by our success. Most small businesses like this don't have the kind of success we were having. It was scary and wonderful all at the same time. When I would fret over the business and remind Edward that 90% of new restaurants fail, he would say it was good thing we were part of the 10% that thrive.

We hired another dishwasher, part-time, which was a huge help. Her name was Jessie; she was a single mom, looking for some extra income to make ends meet. I completely sympathized with her situation. I couldn't exactly put her out with the customers, she was rough around the edges, so to speak, she was quiet, but she worked hard so I wasn't going to complain.

Wednesday afternoon Ness and Jake were using my office computer to start working on their "summer of fun" video. They were picking out the best shots and editing them together. It was fun to hear them laughing at the silly things they did or when someone would fall down. They probably had some prime footage to send to "America's Funniest Home Videos". I was amazed at how easy the kids picked up on technology. I felt a little victory every time I got the stereo to turn on!

I had walked into my office to get some paperwork out of my file cabinet when I heard shouting and tires squealing from where Jake and Ness were working. I turned my attention to the screen and watched the van peeling down the alleyway, coming to a screeching halt. I remembered that day with perfect clarity; that was the day Newton's driver left our order on the street. I rolled my eyes thinking about how glad I was that we finally had a decent supplier when a flash of red hair caught my attention.

"Jake, can you rewind that and make the screen bigger?" I leaned forward resting one hand on my desk, my eyes locked on the screen. "Right there, that's perfect, now play it back again please?"

As the van stopped, a woman with wild red hair came up to the driver, passed him a wad of cash, and turned away. Too bad for her she turned toward the camera. _Victoria._ I began fuming; I knew something was fishy about that delivery. That jerk was being paid off by James. Which would also explain the last order Newton delivered full of the wrong ingredients. James was trying to set me up to fail.

"Do me a favor Jake, send that footage to my email okay?"

"Sure sure," he replied with a lazy smile on his face.

Something had to be done about that. But what, I wasn't sure. I'd have to talk with Alice and Jasper; Edward would want to know too. It wasn't much to go on, but I needed to come up with a plan.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Another Monday rolled around and Nessie was bouncing off the walls at 7 in the morning. Edward was renting a boat and taking us out on the lake for the day. Nessie and Jacob couldn't wait to go tubing. And to be honest, I couldn't wait to see Edward shirtless again.

I packed a picnic lunch and some drinks for all of us, grabbed out towels and headed down to Edward's apartment. He was sexy as ever with his navy blue board shorts and white t-shirt. We picked up Jake, assuring his dad Billy that we'd be back by 4 that afternoon.

The drive to the harbor was pretty quick, and the wait for the boat was minimal since it was a Monday. That was one thing I loved about outings on Monday, there were hardly ever any lines. There was something really freeing about having a day off when everyone else was at work, it's like the world belonged to us and nothing could go wrong.

The man from the rental place was going over safety and other instructions. He showed us how to hook up the line for the tube and made sure we all had life jackets that fit us. We loaded up into the speed boat and Jacob had his camera rolling by the time we motored slowly out of the harbor onto the open waters.

The wind was calm for once and the lake looked like glass. It was a perfect day for water skiing and tubing. Once we'd gotten out of the harbor, Edward opened the throttle and we took off like a rocket. The kids were squealing with delight and I was laughing heartily, feeling the spray of the water in my face. I knew I would have to watch out for Jake though, he was such a daredevil.

Edward slowed the boat and turned off the motor, dropped anchor and came to sit next to me. I pulled out the sun screen and proceeded to slather the kids with the cream. Nessie's skin was so fair it would burn to a crisp if I let her go without protection. Jake would probably just turn a darker shade of tan but I didn't want to be responsible for letting him get a sun burn.

Once they were covered, the kids put their life jackets back on and jumped into the water. I shrugged out of my life vest and handed Edward the lotion. "Would you mind giving me a hand?" I smiled sweetly.

"Not in the least Sugar." He squirted a generous dollop of lotion into his hand and began rubbing my shoulders. He made sure to get under the tie of my halter swimsuit and started working his way over my collar bones. I moaned and relaxed into his touch enjoying the impromptu shoulder massage. He worked down each of my arms and knelt down in front of me with a huge smile on his face.

"Do you need any more help?" he murmured softly leaning in to gently kiss my lips.

"Mmmm, no I think I've got it from here." I took the bottle from his hands and squirted the lotion over my chest. I handed the bottle back over to him and watched as he did the same thing. His eyes darkened and intensified as I began to rub the lotion into the V of my bathing suit.

"Bella," he groaned, "you're killing me here."

"Sorry hon, but you try having sun burnt cleavage and see how you like it." He shook his head and lotioned himself up, saving his back for me. Not wanting to torture him anymore I slathered the cream on in an all-business manner. That doesn't mean I didn't thoroughly enjoy running my hands over the strong muscles of his back all the way down to the dimples just above his waistband.

He blew out a shaky breath and turned around, "You, my Bella, are going to be the death of me."

I was smiling but the look on his face was so predatory I started backing away instinctively. His eyes flicked briefly to where Jake and Nessie were splashing each other and I quickly caught on to his plan.

"Edward Cullen, don't you dare."

"Dare what Isabella?" he continued to corner me into the seating area at the front of the boat. His half-lidded green eyes and pearly white teeth were irresistible, he was dazzling me and it was working.

"You know exactly what, Edward."

"I think you and I both need to cool off don't you?"

He lunged forward, scooped me up over his shoulder and dashed to the back of the boat jumping off the dive platform. His hold loosened on me when we plunged into the water and I scrambled my way up to the surface gasping for breath. When he surfaced he shook his messy hair sending drops of water flying everywhere.

"You are _so_ not my favorite person right now," I glared at him, swiping at the strands of hair stuck to my face.

"Yeah, but you love me," he swam over and wrapped his arms around my waist.

"You're lucky I do, otherwise I might have done this," I lifted up and dunked his head underwater. He came back up spluttering but I was waiting with puckered lips, so any retaliation was quickly forgotten.

We tossed a ball around for a while and played with the kids. We all did our hair like George Washington, Jake's was the best, Nessie looked more like a mad scientist, and Edward was just sexy no matter what!

I got out a few minutes before everyone else to get our lunch spread out. Jake asked me to get some shots of them in the water. Edward was able to launch Nessie into a little back flip and Jake did a cannonball off the side of the boat that I thought might clear out the whole lake.

We enjoyed the foccacia turkey and avocado club sandwiches and oven baked sweet potato chips, Nessie and Jacob were talking about their movie again, and I was happy curled up next to Edward.

Edward tossed his trash in the bag we'd brought with us and threw his arm around my shoulder. I peered up into his face and noticed the faraway look in his eyes.

"What's going on hon? You look like you're a million miles away."

**EPOV**

The day had been perfect so far. The kids were having a blast, lunch was delicious as usual, and I had my arm around the love of my life. Never mind the fact that she was driving me completely insane with want. That was part of the reason why I'd called my mother earlier in the week. I wanted to solidify my future with Bella, sooner than later. I couldn't stand being without her any longer.

"_Edward! To what do I owe the pleasure?"_

"_Hey mom, I uh...well I was wondering...do you think,"_

"_Spit it out son, it can't be that bad," she chuckled softly._

"_No, it's not bad. I was hoping that you could send me Grandmother's ring."_

_She sighed softly and whispered, "finally."_

"_What do you mean 'finally'? We've only been together for less than two months."_

"_Edward dear, ever since the restaurant opening, I've known this was coming. What do you think Renee and I were gossiping about?"_

"_You've been talking about Bella and I getting married?"_

"_More than just talking about it sweetheart, we've been planning it."_

"_What do you mean planning it?"_

"_We found a lovely location that would be just perfect, they do the catering and everything, you'd just need to figure out a sneaky way of finding a dress for Bella."_

"_Hmmm, for once, I'm appreciating your meddling instincts."_

"_We knew you would. Bella's far too busy to be worried about something like this. We knew it would happen sooner or later; we just wanted to be prepared. I even got Bella's ring size from Renee and have already had Grandma's ring sized to her finger, so it should fit perfectly. __I left it in your apartment the last time I visited. It's in the back of the second drawer down on your desk.__"_

"_Wow, Mom, I...I don't know what to say."_

"_Just say thank you Edward."_

"_Thank you Mom." I debated quickly whether or not I should tell her about it, then decided they should know._

"_Oh and mom, I'm...I'm seeing a counselor. I just thought you and Dad would want to know that."_

_I could hear the faint sniffle on the end of the line and knew that she was crying._

"_I'm so proud of you Edward. And I'm so thankful that you have Bella, I knew she would be a blessing in your life."_

"_She is mom, the greatest blessing in my life. I'll talk to you soon."_

"_Bye son. I love you."_

I pulled Bella into my side and took a deep breath. This wasn't the moment to propose, I wanted that moment to be perfect, but I did want her to know about the counseling.

"I started seeing a counselor," I stated simply.

She angled her body towards mind and smiled softly. "And how is that going?"

"It's...going. I'm trying to let go of the guilt. But it's hard, I've kept it inside for so long, it's hard to root it all out."

"I think I can understand that," she reached her soft hand out to my roughened one and gripped tightly. I held on to her little hand for dear life; she had no idea how much her support meant to me.

"I'm glad you're working on it Edward." She leaned up to kiss me and I couldn't help but gather her up in my arms. Our moment was interrupted when we heard a pair of voices snickering and saying, "gross."

Bella sighed and pulled away from me, giving me one last squeeze of her hand.

"Who wants to do some tubing?" I asked, clapping my hands together.

Ness and Jake jumped up and down excitedly and helped me ready the tube. It had two sets of hand grips on it, so they could both ride at the same time. I pulled up the anchor, got the kids settled on the tube and motored until the line was taught.

Jake yelled, "Hit it," and I pushed the throttle until we were going pretty fast. Bella was watching them carefully in case one of them fell off. She had a flag to wave if that ever happened, because it was almost impossible to hold any kind of conversation with the noise of the wind and the motor.

I slowed down and the kids let Bella have a turn. She was holding on for dear life; I thought she might tear the handles off the tube. She gave Jake the "cut it" sign and I slowed the boat to a stop.

"That wasn't so bad now was it?" I questioned as she climbed up on to the deck.

"I think I prefer the inside of the boat," she smiled weakly, looking a bit green.

The wind was starting to pick up making the surface of the water much more choppy but the kids begged for one more go. Bella shrugged, and the weather hadn't gotten too windy, so I didn't see a problem. Jake climbed back on the tube, helping Nessie get settled, and we took off again.

They were having a blast bouncing higher and higher over the swells in the wake. After a minute of that they started leaning and jumping out of the wake of the boat catching even more air. I could faintly hear the squeals of laughter over the roar of the boat. I took one more glance over my shoulder and saw that they were trying to hop back into the wake. I revved the throttle to give them one last good bounce, smiling as I recalled all the fun times I'd had water skiing and tubing when I was a kid.

"EDWARD!" Bella began screaming and hitting me with the flag. I pulled back on the throttle and looked back over my shoulder. The tube was empty and I couldn't see the kids. I quickly circled the boat around and trolled as quickly as was safe to where Bella thought they'd fallen off.

"Hurry Edward! Hurry!"

"I'm going as fast as I can, I don't want to hit one of them." We were frantically scanning the water for the kids.

"Over there," she jabbed her finger and we saw Jake rubbing his head floating semi upright. I motored over to him and pulled him up on to the deck.

"Where's Ness? What happened Jake?"

Jake was shaking and couldn't calm down, the sobs were wracking his body to the point he couldn't even stand up.

"Bella calm down keep looking for her," I wrapped Jake up in a towel and went back to searching the roiling water.

"Yy...ou... ha..have t..t..to f..find her. We h..hit he...heads really h..hard," Jake sobbed out.

It felt like hours had gone by but it had really only been a minute or two when Bella screamed out, "there! She's over there! Oh my baby!" I looked in the direction that Bella pointed and saw her limp form floating face down in the water.

_No no no, this is not happening. Not her._

I maneuvered the boat as close as I dared and dove into the water. I swam as fast as I could to where her tangle of dark curls swirled in the water. I flipped her over, trying to be careful of her neck, and swam with one arm back to the boat.

Bella helped lift her onto the deck crying the whole time, "my baby, my baby."

I climbed up and tried to suppress the fear and anxiety that coursed through me. I knelt down next to Ness in an attempt to assess the situation. Her eyes were closed and her lips were blue. Bella was at her head listening, I was spiraling into a panic desperately trying to regain my wits. There seemed to be a black fog creeping around my vision and everything sounded fuzzy. My arms felt like a thousand pounds and I couldn't think what to do next. Everything was all a blur and it wasn't until I felt a sharp sting across my face that Bella's words finally registered.

"DO SOMETHING EDWARD! She's not breathing!"

**

* * *

A/N: Be nice everyone, this is like the first cliffie in forever…******** Review review and I'll do my best to pump out another chapter quickly!**

**Turkey Club on Focaccia**

**FOCACCIA TURKEY CLUB SANDWICH**  
8 sl Bacon  
1/2 c Homemade Mayonnaise  
(recipe follows)  
2 t Minced cilantro  
2 t Minced parsley  
2 (8-inch) squares Focaccia  
(recipe follows)  
10 sl Turkey breast  
1 Tomato, sliced  
1/2 Avocado, peeled & sliced  
2 c Alfalfa sprouts

***HOMEMADE MAYONNAISE***  
2 Eggs  
2 T Lemon juice  
2 t Dijon mustard  
3 dr Hot pepper sauce  
1 1/2 c Oil  
Salt, optional

Directions

Cook the bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Combine the  
mayonnaise with cilantro and parsley. Cut each focaccia in half,  
forming 4 (8x4-inch) rectangles. Spread half of the mayonnaise on top  
of 2 of the focaccia halves. Layer half of the turkey, tomato, bacon,  
avocado, and alfalfa sprouts onto each. Spread the bottoms of the  
focaccia with more mayonnaise and cover the sandwich fillings. Cut  
into halves or thirds.

NOTE: Commercially produced mayonnaise may be substituted. Focaccia  
(round or square), purchased at Italian delis, may be used.

FOR MAYONNAISE: Combine the eggs, lemon juice, mustard, and hot pepper  
sauce in a blender or food processor. Blend 5 to 10 seconds. With the  
blender still running, add the oil in a very slow stream through the  
opening in blender cover. Blend until smooth, scraping sides  
occasionally for even blending. Season to taste with salt.

**Oven baked sweet potato fries**

1/2 teaspoon(s) ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon(s) salt

1/4 teaspoon(s) ground red pepper

1 tablespoon(s) vegetable oil

2 large (about 1 1/2 pounds) sweet potatoes

Prepare the sweet potatoes: In a small bowl, combine cumin, salt, and pepper. Set aside. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Peel potatoes, cut each in half lengthwise, and cut each half into 6 wedges. In a large bowl, combine the cut potatoes, oil, and spice mixture. Toss until potatoes are evenly coated.

Bake the fries: On a baking sheet, arrange potatoes in a single layer and place on the middle shelf of the oven. Bake until edges are crisp and potatoes are cooked through -- about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.


	21. Unexpected Recipe

**A/N: Let me start by saying THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE REVIEWS! I was on vacation and wanted to get started on the next chapter which is why I didn't get to respond to all the reviews, but please know that I have read and appreciate each and every one!**

**So it seems like everyone's a little bit worried about Renesmee...hows about we check in and see how she's doing?**

**

* * *

Tapas at Twilight**

**Chapter 20: Unexpected Recipe**

**EPOV**

Everything was moving in slow motion. I felt like I was floating over the boat and I could see my self standing there stupidly staring at Nessie. I tried to force my brain to think of the basics of saving a life, but all I could see was Chelsea; the images of her broken, lifeless body, flashed through my mind.

"Edward please," Bella sobbed, "help her. You have to help her."

Stabilize the head and neck. ABC's: airway, breathing, circulation. _You can do this Cullen, you __**have**__ to do this._

"Bella, put your hands under her shoulders and brace her head with your forearms. When I count to three we'll tilt her to the right to clear our her airway." She nodded resolutely with tears streaming down her face but positioned herself like I asked her to.

A small amount of water came trickling from her mouth, but she still wasn't breathing. I felt her wrist for a pulse but couldn't find one, there was no pulse at her carotid artery either. Her heart had stopped; she needed CPR. There is a cavalcade of chemical reactions that start to shut down the body once the heart stops and the more time the worse it becomes. I set my hands on her chest to start compressions.

More violent pictures of Chelsea's caved-in chest popped into my head. I had done that to her. I had pushed so hard I'd cracked her ribs and destroyed her sternum. I couldn't do that to Nessie. But she would die if I did nothing and broken ribs can heal. Chelsea's mother was completely destroyed when I gave her the news that we couldn't save her daughter, and I wouldn't do that do Bella.

In a fraction of a moment I felt the resolve settle into my bones. _She will not die. Not if I have anything to do with it._

"Jake come quickly. Take the wheel and drive the boat back to the dock, just like a video game. This is the gas," I indicated the throttle, "not too fast okay?"

He wiped his eyes with his forearm, nodded solemnly and nudged the throttle forward. I returned to Nessie's side and quickly explained the procedure to Bella. "I do 30 compressions, you give two breaths, we both count out loud, okay?"

"Okay, I'm ready." She cradled her daughters head with trembling fingers, awaiting my signal.

I placed the heel of my hand over the correct spot on Nessie's chest and began the swift thrusts downward trying to help her heart pump the needed blood to her brain. As Bella gave her two breaths, I checked on Jake and saw that he's still steering us true.

Cycle after cycle we continued pumping her chest and breathing for her. I could feel the fatigue setting into my muscles but I pushed the sensation down and kept up the steady rhythm.

My mind was shattered into tiny fragments of comprehension. One of those little shards flitted through my thoughts, reminding me there was a radio just under the wheel of the boat.

"Jake can you reach the radio under the wheel?" I called out, splitting my already fractured attention between Bella's counts and my instructions to Jacob.

"Yeah, it's right here," he lifted up the mouth piece.

"Push the button on the side like a walkie talkie and say 'mayday'," he nodded and did as I instructed.

The reply came quickly and I coached Jake through explaining our situation and felt a little better that an ambulance would be waiting. I returned my full attention to Nessie faltering for just a moment when I caught the desperate and tear stained face of my Bella. I heard a dull crack and stopped the compressions, cursing loudly.

"What is it Edward? Why did you stop? You can't stop now!"

"I broke her rib, I'm going to kill her just like I did to Chelsea. I ca..."

"Don't you dare say it. Don't you dare. You can and you will."

I took a deep breath and resumed compressions paying careful attention to the depth at which I was thrusting. I was surprised when I felt the tears roll down my face, I was so overcome with emotions that I couldn't stop them.

As we neared the dock I had Bella take over compressions so I could guide the boat to the mooring post. I helped the paramedics who were waiting at the end of the dock to lift Ness onto the stretcher.

"She was in the water about 3 minutes, no pulse, no breathing, we've been doing CPR for about 10 minutes. We need to get her on a monitor right away."

"We'll take it from here sir," they nodded and wheeled her down the dock to the ambulance.

I pulled Jake up out of the boat and reached out for Bella. I wrapped my arm around her waist and supported most of her weight as we jogged down to the ambulance. The two men in navy blue were working feverishly to get Nessie hooked up to the proper equipment, they cut off her bathing suit and were sticking the defibrillator pads on her chest all the while providing the breaths she needed. As the sickening steady tone of her un-beating heart sounded through the monitor I could feel Bella's fingers dig into my arms while her legs gave way. I tightened my grip around her and pulled a shivering Jake to my side.

The paramedics delivered a surge of electricity from the defibrillator and almost immediately a steady beep signaled that her heart was beating again. I blew out a breath in relief, "that's a good thing Bella, they've got her heart started again."

"So she's gonna be okay right? She'll be fine?"

"I hope so Love, they're doing everything they can for her."

"Who's coming?" shouted one of the paramedics.

Bella rushed forward, "I am, I'm her mother."

"Where are you heading?" I called out.

"Childrens on Lincoln."

"We'll be right behind you, be strong Bella, I love you."

"I love you too Edward."

I squeezed Bella's hand one more time as she slid onto the bench in the ambulance. The door to the rig slammed shut and the sirens began blaring as the ambulance sped into traffic. I ran into the boating office and was met with the compassionate eyes of the man behind the counter.

"Go, take care of your family, I'll have your stuff when you're ready to come back and get it."

"Thank you," I breathed and hurried back out to my car.

We sped to the Children's Memorial Hospital, breaking more traffic rules than I could count and screeched into a parking space in front of the emergency room. I ran through the doors with Jake close behind and accosted the closest official looking person I could find.

"Renesmee Yorkie? She was just brought in a few minutes ago, where is she?"

"You are?" I wanted to rip the man's head off for being an idiot, but I knew that wouldn't get me any closer to her or to Bella. I was shocked though, when Jake stepped forward.

"I'm her boyfriend!" The man looked at him a little confused. I pulled back gently on Jacob's shoulder and looked back up to the man at the counter.

"I'm her mother's boyfriend, please, I just need to be with them right now," I begged changing my tone to a less confrontational plea for help.

"One moment sir," he said disappearing behind a curtain. After a few minutes the man reappeared and showed us back to where Bella was waiting.

She was crumpled in a chair holding her head in her hands sobbing. I rushed in front of her and gathered her into my arms.

"I'm here Bella, shhhh, it's okay, I'm here."

She latched onto me and continued to sob into my shoulder. After a few minutes her hands relaxed and she took a few shaky breaths.

"They wouldn't let me go with her," she sniffled.

"I know hon, they're doing all they can for her. Can you tell me anything about the ride over?" I needed to know if anything else happened while they were in the ambulance.

"She threw up, they said something about negative babinkies or something like that. She started to mumble something and she was breathing just fine on her own for a minute but when we got here she started having a seizure and they wouldn't let me follow them into the room, and her hair is soaking wet, and she was shivering and I just need to be with her." Her choking sobs continued to scrape away at any shred of composure I was hanging on to.

I sighed thinking about the statistics and everything I'd been taught.

"Well, a negative Babinski reflex is good, that means there's not much if any damage to her nervous system. And unfortunately, seizures are a possibility with near-drowning cases, but they have medicines to control it. Don't worry Bella, these doctors are the best at what they do."

She sniffed and whispered against my chest, "I know, I...I just...can't even think about if she doesn't..."

"Shhhhh, don't go there, we're not even going to consider that until we hear from the doctors." I rubbed heavy circles over her back trying to soothe us both.

I called Billy and had him come down to the hospital. The staff insisted that they check out Jake since he and Ness had banged their heads together. He kept insisting he was fine, that he had a hard head, and he just wanted to stay with me and wait for Ness. He was very stoic, and would not be persuaded. It took both me and his dad to get him out to the car. I promised as soon as we knew anything we'd call him.

When I returned, Bella was staring at a clipboard full of forms and papers she needed to fill out. She seemed to be looking through the stack of forms at some unknown thing beyond them. I sat down next to her on the couch in the family waiting room and took the papers from her loose grip.

"How about I take care of filling these out okay?" She nodded mutely and leaned on to my shoulder. Every now and then I could feel the silent sobs shaking her body, my heart was breaking for her and for Ness, _if only I'd paid closer attention to the conditions on the water. _

If only. That was a phrase that my counselor and I had been working on eradicating from my vocabulary, but it sank it's teeth into my psyche with a vengeance. Every doubt and fear that something like this would happen again had come true. Maybe I was wrong to think that I still had a place in medicine. Perhaps this was Fate's way of telling me, "don't touch, you only hurt people." _Maybe I should shut my stupid thoughts up and fill out the blasted forms._

I busied myself filling out all of the required information; so much of it was repetitive. I would lean over and offer the pen to Bella when she needed to sign something, making sure to place reassuring kisses on her cheeks, forehead, lips, anywhere I could reach really.

I got to the medical history section of the forms and filled out the little I knew about Bella. I asked her about Charlie and Renee's illnesses and genetic conditions, her own illnesses, all of the formalities. I was pleased to know how healthy she was, though her dad dying of a heart attack at a relatively young age was worrisome. Granted he had been a smoker which clogs up arteries faster than anything else. _Just to be safe though she shouldn't cook with so much butter._

"Bella, I need your help with Eric's history."

"Do you still have my wallet on you?" she asked quietly.

"Yeah, it's right here," I reached into the pocket of my shorts and handed her the leather wallet. I was wondering what she was looking for when she pulled out what looked like a laminated half-sheet of paper folded once. "What's that?"

"This is her bio-dad's medical history," she handed me the folded paper but I didn't reach for it. Her phrasing sent up warning flags in my mind. _What in the world does she mean by bio-dad?_

"Bio-dad?" I asked.

"Well, yeah. Nessie wasn't Eric's biological child."

My mind began reeling at this revelation. I had always assumed, but then our previous conversations about Eric came slamming back into me.

"What kind of cancer did Eric have Bella?"

She closed her eyes and took a long, deep breath before settling into the corner of the couch with her knees curled up against her chest.

"He was diagnosed with testicular cancer when he was a teenager. They removed one testicle and did radiation and chemo. When he relapsed after we got married, they removed his other testicle thus wiping out any chance for a child, not that it would've been likely before because of the radiation. Why do you ask?"

"I..I just didn't know. I guess I took it for granted that Eric was Nessie's biological father. So she was conceived in vitro?" I could see that Bella was emotionally spent and I should leave these questions for later but I couldn't seem to stop myself.

Bella nodded softly, "The egg was mine, the sperm was an anonymous donor."

I was about to ask more questions but was interrupted by the ER doctor entering the waiting room. She pushed the folded card into my hand and turned expectantly toward the door. We both straightened up immediately and waited impatiently for news. With each passing second I was getting more and more annoyed with this doctor, even though I knew exactly what he was going through. Those minutes you take, attempting to regain composure before delivering bad news to a family, were the worst of your life.

"Ms. Swan?" he finally called out. I hadn't even realized there were other's in the room with us.

"Please," Bella sobbed out, her control completely broken, "how is she?"

"She's heavily sedated right now, she had a second seizure while we were trying to get her stabilized. We'll keep her here over night for observation, but everything seems to be fine now." _Note to self: always start with the good news. What is this doctor thinking? Had I ever done that to anyone? Why did I think I might have to do this again in the future?_

"Are there any complications? Neural involvement? Any speech or motor deficiencies?" I was firing off questions rapidly trying to satisfy my own need for information.

"Slow down," he raised his hands trying to rein me back in, "we won't know much about her mental or physical condition until she wakes up more. She is currently breathing on her own, which is a good thing. The water in her lungs washed out a great deal of the surfactant, that's the substance that helps keep her lungs inflated properly, so we'll have to keep a close look out for signs of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome. If allowed to progress it could lead to hypoxia and ischemia, two things we very much want to avoid."

"When can I see my baby?" I had been paying close attention to what the doctor had been saying when I should've been paying attention to Bella. She just needed to be with her daughter, and I was being an idiot academic encouraging the doctor to keep on talking.

"Right now, just follow me." He gestured toward the door and waited patiently for us to gather our things together.

We were led to a small curtained off area in a quiet corner of the emergency room. The doctor pulled the curtain aside for us to enter and I wrapped my arm around Bella's waist. She nearly collapsed at the sight of Renesmee; I had to hold her up and try to hold myself up. I could hear all the commotion and shouts from the day Chelsea died when I saw all of the machines and the generic exam room. I wanted to grab Nessie out of that bed and run, like being out of the hospital would save her, save me. _Keep it together Cullen_.

Nessie was hooked up to a heart monitor, a blood pressure monitor, she had an oxygen cannula under her nose, and a bag of fluids dripping down the tube into the IV port on her wrist. She looked so small and fragile, not anything like the wild and ebullient little girl she usually was.

As the doctor had warned us, she was soundly asleep. Bella moved quickly to her side and began stroking her face and pulling her fingers gently through her matted curls. She leaned her head over Nessie's chest and closed her eyes affirming with her own ears what the steady beep of the heart monitor indicated. I pulled up a chair right next to Bella and guided her into it. She sat closely to the bedside and held Ness's small hand in her own.

Bella was singularly focused on Ness and my mind was spiraling back down to a place I hadn't been in more than 6 years. I returned to filling out forms in a weak attempt to occupy my thoughts until Ness woke up.

I started copying down the basic information in the section designated for the father. Blood Type: AB-, childhood illnesses/operations: Chicken Pox, tonsillectomy, appendectomy. The information needed for the hospital form wasn't extensive, and I quickly finished all the paperwork, setting it on the table in our corner of the ER. I couldn't help reading through the rest of the information on the sheet Bella had given me.

It looked like she had retyped the information in a way that was quick and easy for her to read. As I scanned down the list, I felt a strange sense of familiarity, almost like I was on an episode of "This is Your Life". I was putting mental check marks next to each thing that was similar in my own life. When I finished the list my hand was shaking as I realized that every single point of medical history was identical to my own.

"Bella?" I whispered. She had laid her head down on the bed and Nessie's hand was limp in her grasp. I hated to wake her, but we had things that needed to be discussed.

I stood up shakily and started slowly rubbing her back. She stirred a bit and looked up at me through puffy sad eyes.

"Hey Love, can we talk for a minute?"

"Sure Edward what is it?" She stretched her arm over her head and turned to me.

"Maybe somewhere a little more private? We could go get something from the cafeteria?"

"Edward, I can't leave her, not until I know she's going to be okay." Of course she was right, we couldn't go anywhere right now.

I looked over at Nessie's monitors and saw that she was definitely asleep. "You're right, we can stay, I just...I don't know...well it could be just a crazy coincidence."

"What are you talking about hon?" She looked genuinely confused and more than a bit concerned at my strange shift in behavior.

"Okay, I know this is going to come out of left field, but bear with me okay?" She nodded her agreement and I continued, "Where did you have the in vitro procedure done?"

Her eyebrows wrinkled together and I could see her fighting the desire to ask what that had to do with anything, but she shook it off and answered. "It was the Family Connections Fertility Center, Carlisle was actually the one who referred us there. He said his friend Marcus was the best in the field for our circumstances." I stiffened at the mention of the clinic and Marcus.

"Why Edward? Why are you asking about this?"

"When did you make your donor selection?"

"Edward..."

"Please, just think back to when." She furrowed her brow and began silently counting on her fingers.

"It was November the year before Ness was born. They said the donor we'd selected was from a new batch that had just been screened and approved. Please tell me what this is about Edward?"

This was impossible. This was literally impossible, unless you count one in a bazillion a possibility. I never thought something like this would ever happen. My head was spinning with the effort I was exerting to keep myself calm.

"Bella, when I was in med school we weren't allowed to hold jobs, and my trust fund hadn't been turned over to me yet. I wanted to have more spending money than my stipend allowed. So I was talking to some buddies who said that there were high end clinics that recruited and paid young men with certain attributes, qualifications, high test scores, etc. to be sperm donors."

Her eyebrow quirked up and she shook her head a little, "Edward, your gear shifts are giving me whiplash, what does this have to do with Ness?"

"Let's just say that I made a deposit to the Family Connections Clinic in Seattle while I was home for fall break in November, the year before Renesmee was born."

"Not...Possible..."

"And this," I held up the folded laminated card she'd given me earlier, "I would write down the very same answers."

**

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A/N: So be honest...who was expecting that? I know a few of you had postulated, so here's the proof. Now what will be the aftermath of this little bombshell??? Reviews are my favorite thing in the whole wide world!!! I'll try and do better about responding this time!**

**Chicken Pillows with a Little Extra**

2 Chicken Breast. Cooked and shredded

1 package of puff pastry in sheets, thawed

8 oz cream cheese

3-4 Tblsp milk

1 Tlbsp lemon juice

1 ½ tsp lemon pepper

2 jalapenos sliced **very** thin

Directions:

Using a large biscuit cutter, cut as many circles out of the pastry dough as possible. In a bowl beat the cream cheese, lemon juice and lemon pepper. Add one tablespoon of milk at a time until the cream is smooth and not too thick. Add the chicken and coat well. Place a small spoonful of the chicken mixture onto one side of the pastry circle. Top with one slice of jalapeno. Make an egg wash, with 1 egg lightly beaten and 1 Tblsp water. Moisten one half of the pastry circle with the egg wash and fold the dough in half. Seal the edges by pressing down with a fork. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Once they're all filled, brush the tops with egg wash and bake according to the directions on the package for the puff pastry dough.


	22. A Brand New Day

**A/N: So let me start by telling you all how completely BLOWN AWAY I am by all the amazing reviews! Thank you so much! I know that my sneaky little plot twist coaxed many first time reviewers out of the woodwork. Now I'm hoping you will all continue reviewing, it would be so awesome if we could get this story over 1000 reviews before it's end!**

**Funniest review comment ever "Holy sperm bank Batman!"**

**Another super huge thanks to Sweetthunder for doing awesome beta work on this chapter, there's lots of good stuff in here thanks to her.  
**

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Tapas at Twilight**

**Chapter 21:A Brand New Day  
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_"Not...Possible..."_

"_And this," I held up the folded laminated card she'd given me earlier, "I would write down the very same answers."_

**BPOV**

I wondered for a moment if it was possible to feel completely blank and completely overwhelmed in the same moment. I could feel my mouth moving slightly but I heard no sound. I started shaking my head back and forth, unwilling to believe that such a thing could even happen. I clamped my eyes shut and buried my face into my hands. My breathing had doubled and I was starting to feel light headed. I had to be sure before I let this possibility sink in. This would be more than the biggest coincidence on earth, I had to be sure.

"Bella, please look at me?" His voice was shaking and full of doubt. I could tell he was just as confused and scared as me. In a blink we were both running through the ramifications of what it would mean if he was, if he wasn't, what would this mean for both of our families, Eric's family?

Slowly I lifted my head from my hands and drew in a deep breath. "How is this even...I mean...Stuff like this only happens in soap operas Edward."

He reached his hand up and brushed a tear from my cheek. "I don't know Sweetheart, I really don't."

"Are you sure Edward? Do you really think that you're her..." I couldn't bring myself to say it yet.

"Now that I have a better idea of her history and the timing of things...Well, look at her hair, it's the same color as mine,"

"And her lips look just like yours," I interrupted, "Oh my gosh, I can't believe I didn't see it sooner. Do you still have your donor record? We could be sure by checking your donor record number against the number on her records at home."

"I think it's somewhere in my file cabinet back at the apartment." He drug his hand through his hair and leaned back in the chair he'd placed across from mine.

"Edward, you're her fath..." he cut me off by placing his index finger gently over my lips.

"No, don't say it out loud until we know for sure. I don't know how I would handle it if it weren't true." He cupped the side of my face in his warm hand and brushed the apple of my cheek with his thumb. The vulnerability in his eyes was heartbreaking, he had been through just as much as I had been today and had come through it, and not fallen apart.

He had done more than save Nessie, he had saved himself right along with her. I could see the change in him, the confidence and even the ease in which he fit into the hospital. He belonged in this place. And now this huge possibility? This was going to change our whole universe one way or another. Now that it was a possibility that Edward is Nessie's bio-dad, the alternative seems horrible. Just some stranger? In 5 seconds my whole perspective on it had changed. With just the possibility out there, I suddenly_ needed_ Edward to be Nessie's bio-dad.

Thinking about what would've happened had he not been able to help Nessie sent me into a fit of sobs. I slung my legs over his and leaned into his side holding onto him for dear life. He hugged me close and I relished his strength. This was so much to handle and process. The tears flowed uninhibited from my eyes. I was so thankful he was here by my side.

"Thank you Edward, thank you so much," I sobbed into his chest.

"Hey," he cooed, "hey, there's nothing to thank me for." He smoothed a lock of hair behind my ear and tightened his arms around me.

"Edward she would've died had you not been there." As soon as the words were out of my mouth his face hardened and he pulled away from me. "It's true Edward, you saved her life."

"She wouldn't have needed saving had I not been so reckless. She wouldn't be lying there with a broken rib..." he sucked in a huge sobbing breath, "had it not been for me. I don't even deserve to be sitting in the same ro..." I crashed my lips to his, in part to shut off his ridiculous ranting and also because I needed him. I needed the comfort; I needed to feel even closer to him.

"Please don't blame yourself, this is not your fault. No matter where she got her genes from, half came from me and I'm a hopeless danger magnet."

"But I.."

"Don't. Just hold me until she wakes up please?"

"I love you Bella, so much. I don't know what I would do without you."

"I love you too Edward."

I woke to Edward shaking me gently and whispering, "She's starting to stir." I straightened up quickly and moved to the side of Nessie's bed. She was only half awake and was starting to pull at the oxygen cannula under her nose. I took her right hand in mine as Edward hurried around the bed and picked up her left hand.

She was whining softly, making the most heartbreaking noises. I stroked her forehead trying to smooth out the creases of discomfort marring her sweet face. My heart was flying as her eyes fluttered open and her croaky voice called out, "Mommy?"

"I'm here baby, I'm right here."

She turned her head slightly toward my voice and said, "I hurt."

I watched helplessly as those two words demolished Edward entirely. The last thing any parent wants to hear is that their child is in pain. Tears coursed down his tortured face and his body shook with silent sobs. He never let go of her hand but it was like watching a building implode. All of his strength and structure was removed and his shoulders caved in on his chest as he let his grief and guilt topple him over.

I couldn't stand to see him so anguished, he couldn't see past the negative to the little girl who was alive and talking because of his efforts. Because he loved her just as much as I did. I reached across the bed and took his empty hand squeezing it hard. He looked up at me and sniffed once, fighting himself to get back under control. I gave my head a gentle shake trying to get him to understand that this was not his fault.

I wiped my own tears away and leaned over to place a kiss on her forehead. "I know you hurt baby, I'm sorry about that. But you sure gave us quite a scare. How do you feel?"

"Thirsty," she rasped out. Edward quickly soaked a small lemon flavored sponge and brought it to her lips and let her suck on it like a lolly pop, he soaked it again and she finally relaxed back into the pillow. "What happened?"

"You and Jake banged heads really hard and you got knocked out in the water. You weren't breathing and Edward had to do CPR. That's why you hurt sweetie, but that's the only reason you're alive and talking to me right now." I said it more for Edward's benefit than anything else. He had to know that I did not hold him accountable for the accident.

"So Edward saved my life?" she asked in barely a whisper. I nodded my head and smiled gently.

"I'm so sorry I hurt you Ness, I didn't me..." Edward began gushing apologies, but since she's my daughter, Ness was having none of it.

"I love you Edward." I could see the effort she made to squeeze his hand and by the miracle of love and unspoken forgiveness, the strength that had been sapped out of his being was restored. He dropped her hand and cradled her face with his. "I love you too Renesmee, so much." He kissed her softly on the cheek and took a huge breath of air, inhaling her scent.

"Where is Jacob?" I could see the sudden worry and concern in Nessie's face. She was visibly tense and trying to sit up again. Grimacing from the movement to her ribs.

"Relax honey, he is fine, we sent him home but Edward promised to call when you woke up. He drove the boat back to the dock so the ambulance could pick you up, he was very brave." She nodded slightly, a small smile playing on her lips.

The doctor came in shortly there after and ran some tests. They wanted to keep her under observation for another 12 hours or so. I looked at the time and realized that it was about 7 on Tuesday morning. Edward pulled out his cell phone and was texting Billy and Jacob to update them on Nessie's condition. I had several calls I needed to make and soon. We'd been so focused on everything that was happening at the hospital, I didn't even think to call anyone.

The first call was to my mother, who was in complete panic mode until I reassured her that Ness was going to be okay. She insisted that she was coming and there was nothing I could do to stop her. She was going to stay with us until school started back up in a month; Edward had graciously offered one of his guestrooms to her.

The second call was to Jasper. Even though today was his day off, I wasn't going to be able to make it in tonight. I felt bad springing this on him, since it was also Tapas Tuesday at The Cave, but if anyone could handle it, it was Jasper.

His reaction to my news must have set off alarm bells with Alice because the phone was ripped away from him mid-sentence and his calm soothing voice was replaced by the frantic high-pitched rambling of my best friend. She promised to bring a change of clothes for all of us in a few hours and never stopped expressing how relieved she was to hear that Ness was doing alright.

I also called Esme who reacted in the exact same way Renee had, just like any concerned grandparent would, though she didn't know it yet. She promised to come visit in a couple of weeks.

Just as I hung up with Esme the phone rang and it was very nervous and scared little boy who heaved the biggest sigh of relief when I told him Ness was okay. Jacob begged to come see her but I was able to convince him that we'd be home later that evening and he was welcome to come and visit her there if she was awake. Billy got on the phone after that and assured me that Jake was fine and had shown no symptoms of a concussion or any other problems. That kid really was tough as nails.

With the phone calls out of the way, I returned to Nessie's room to find Edward asleep, draped protectively over Nessie's legs, and Ness snoring lightly, passed out again from another round of pain killers.

I settled into the chair next to Edward and threaded my fingers into his relaxed grip. He gave me a reflexive squeeze, but remained asleep for the most part. With the peace and quiet settling around me I thought for a moment about this drastic revelation.

If what Edward thought was true, he was Renesmee's father. I know he'd said he was in it for the long haul, but to know that we really were a family flooded me with mixed emotions. Would he still be as eager to embrace the role of Father after the dust settled? Would he stay or would he run? I didn't want him to feel trapped or that I expected more than what he was giving.

Then my thoughts shifted to Eric, my sweet best friend, my husband. How did this new information impact his place in mine and Nessie's life? For her it was almost as though he never existed, but he had, and he loved her with all his heart. She was the apple of his eye and I wouldn't let her forget that.

I knew I'd felt ready to move on, to make more of my relationship with Edward, but then how do I explain Eric? _He was my husband and father to Ness, but now I'm with Nessie's __**real**__ father. _That idea stuck in me like bad peanut butter on the roof of my mouth. Eric _was_ Nessie's real father, but so is Edward. Somehow I would just have to reconcile the fact that Nessie was the luckiest girl in the world, to have two real fathers that loved and adored her completely. And I hoped that I would be the lucky woman to have had two men who loved and adored her completely too.

There was one niggling thought in the back of my mind though. How many other children did Edward have?

**JasperPOV**

After hanging up the phone with Bella my mind was working at full speed, even with out my morning shot of V8. Alice threw on a track suit pecked me quickly on the cheek and dashed out the door to pack some clothes for Bella, Ness and Edward.

The relief that I felt knowing that everything was okay settled over me and I said a little prayer thanking God that Ness was alive. I went over a mental checklist of how I would need to change up my day to cover everything at the restaurant.

I called Rosalie and made sure she was okay to work The Cave tonight. I didn't think she'd have a problem since she and Emmett were nearly inseparable these days. She agreed, and said she'd make arrangements with Emmett to get the food over there so I wouldn't have to worry about it.

I went in early and sorted out the supplies we'd need for prep. Kate and Eli came in shortly after 2 to get ready for the evening. By 3:30 the rest of the staff had arrived. I was in Bella's office looking for one of the recipes we'd brainstormed a while back. When I turned to exit her office I ran smack into Jessie, the new dishwasher.

"Oh Jasper! Uhhmm where's Bella? I thought she was on tonight." She looked fidgety and uncomfortable, but I couldn't really gather why.

"Something happened, I'll discuss it in our pre-service meeting in a few minutes." I locked Bella's office and closed it tight, not something I would normally do, but I just didn't know Jessie very well yet and the vibe I was getting from her was shifty.

"Oh, okay," she shoved her belongings into a locker and went to the sinks to get her station ready. Though I didn't know her well, I couldn't fault her work ethic.

When four o'clock rolled around the staff automatically gathered in the area just in front of the swinging double doors.

"Hey everyone thanks for being on time and doing such a great job getting ready for service tonight. I uhh...I have some news, Ness was in a boating accident yesterday. She nearly drown, but she's gonna be okay," the gasps of the staff were audible and sharp. Hands flew to mouths in shock, heads were shaking. I felt the same way. Ness was like a little sister to everyone here, she spent so much time in the restaurant and everyone loved her.

"Edward was able to do CPR and they managed to avoid any serious complications, but Bella will be out of commission for a few days. Keep them all in your thoughts and prayers." I clapped my hands together and ended with, "let's have a great night everyone. Do what you do best!"

Everyone scurried to their positions, though Jessie seemed to plod a little slower than the rest. "Everything okay Jessie?" I asked.

"Uh yeah, I was just thinking. She's gonna be okay right? Bella's daughter?" Her face was full of conflict and worry.

"Yeah, she's gonna be fine." Jessie nodded her head once and a half-hearted smile flashed across her face for a brief moment before she turned back to the wash station.

The night went off with out a hitch, we weren't too busy so we never had a chance to get behind. Rose and Emmett brought everything back from the Cave along with a huge bouquet of flowers and Alice filled them in on the details. She had been in contact with Bella periodically throughout the evening.

"Are they home yet? Can we go see them?" Rosalie was almost as concerned as Alice had been this morning.

"Yeah, I think they got home around 8, if we're quiet, I don't see it being a problem." Alice stepped into the hallway that led to the apartments upstairs, followed by Rose and Emmett. I pulled the breakfast strata I had thrown together earlier, out of the fridge. Bella shouldn't have to worry about cooking anything for the next day or two. I made sure everything was locked up and followed the rest of the group upstairs.

**EPOV**

We got home from the hospital later than we'd planned, but since Ness had been asleep for a good part of the day she was a little wired. Getting her settled into bed was more of a challenge though. We rounded up all the spare pillows we could and tried to make a nest so that her ribs would be more comfortable. The doctors had taped and braced her rib cage as best as they could and wrapped her whole torso with a strong elastic bandage to try and keep movement to a minimum.

Jake had been attached to Nessie's side like a siamese twin from the moment we got home until 9:30 when his Dad called him home. I had a feeling we'd be seeing quite a bit more of him in the near future.

The doctor prescribed some heavy duty pain meds which she was due to take any minute. That would probably knock her out with in the hour. Hopefully she'd get a good nights sleep.

Bella showered while I read with Nessie, and was about to turn the light off when I heard a soft knock on the door. Bella padded out of the bathroom in her yoga pants and tank top, her wet hair wrapped up in a Mrs. Roper-style turban. I followed behind her to the door and was only a little surprised at the group that waited on the other side.

Alice nearly tackled Bella in a desperate hug. They reassured each other quietly as Jasper shook my hand and passed me a tin-foil covered dish, cooking instructions taped to the foil.

"You did good man. Bella would've...she just...I mean we all...you did good." The concern and love that Jasper had for Bella was plainly written across his face. I was glad that she'd had such a good friend and business partner. And while I didn't really feel like I deserved any kind of praise, I accepted his comments as gracefully as I could.

"I was just doing what anyone would've done. And thanks for this," I held up the casserole dish before taking it into the kitchen. When I returned I saw that Bella was now trapped in the grip of a grizzly bear. Emmett set her down and gently rubbed her shoulder. Rosalie looked surprisingly demure. I'd never seen her look so..._soft_ before. She whispered to Bella, "Is Ness still awake? Can we see her?"

"Yeah, we just finished reading a chapter in _Anne of Avonlea,_ she's kind of groggy though, her pain killers are starting to kick in." The women tip-toed into Nessie's room but Emmett just stood there with a strange look on his face.

"Dude. You're reading _Anne of Green Gables?_" He had a teasing smile, that only Emmett could get away with.

"No jerk. I was reading _Anne of Avonlea_. Pay attention next time. Besides, it's her favorite series," I socked him in the shoulder. I'd play Barbies and dress up if it made Ness happy; I would do anything for her.

"She has so got you wrapped around her little finger."

I smiled and replied, "There's no place I'd rather be."

"Good answer man," he clapped me on the back and we filed into Nessie's room.

After all of the visitors had gone Bella and I collapsed on the futon in a tangled mass of arms and legs. I think she needed to feel me close just as much as I needed the same from her. She was my anchor point, without her I would have been lost in the sea of despair that I'd drifted into.

We kissed desperately, mashing lips and teeth together. Hands roaming, gripping and squeezing everywhere in an attempt to rid ourselves of the tension and worry that had besieged us for the last 30 hours. Once we'd calmed and stillness had settled over us like a warm blanket another thought came to mind.

"Bella, I need to find my donor record. I have to know for sure. I'll be right back okay?"

She straightened up and nodded. "I'll find my records too. Hurry back okay?"

I jogged down the stairs two at a time and tore into my apartment. I rushed into my office space and threw open the file cabinet drawers. I began flicking through the tabs trying to remember what I'd filed it under.

The first drawer was a bust, as was the second. When I got to the third, a lightbulb went on in my head and I hurriedly dug through my med school folders, to my junior year. I yanked it out and opened it on my desk. I flipped through page after page, knowing exactly what I was looking for. My hand seized upon the document and before I knew it, I was panting softly in Bella's living room.

She looked up from her seat on the floor in front of a generic black metal file cabinet that had been covered with a table cloth, doubling as an end table.

She held a similar looking paper in her trembling hand. I moved quickly to her side and wrapped my arm around her shoulder. I felt her take a deep breath and turn towards me.

"No matter what these papers say Edward, she will still be your daughter in every other way." She was right. I wanted Bella and Nessie to be mine forever, but I still had to know. Fearing my voice would betray me I nodded and whispered, "what does your paper say?"

She looked down and began reading, "C 49375-599." I was staring so hard at my paper the digits and letters were blurring together.

"Again, please,"

"C 49375-599. What does yours say Edward please?"

I swallowed a golf ball sized lump and spoke, "C 49375-599."

We both stared into each other's eyes for a moment before a joyful sob tore through my chest. Bella climbed on top of me and began kissing me everywhere she could reach. She buried her face in my neck and whispered, "you are her father."

I - am - a - father. In every sense of the word, from my DNA to my emotional connection. The little girl asleep in the next room is my daughter. This realization came and wrapped me up in emotions I didn't know existed. I wanted to run into the room, scoop her up, and never let her go. I wanted to protect her, and teach her, and give her everything I possibly could. I knew every moment of my life was leading up to this. Congratulations Edward, it's 65 pound 10 year old girl! Who could be this lucky? My soul was overflowing with happiness, love, and gratitude. Two Angels has literally landed in my building and saved me from drowning in my own self-pity and loneliness.

Bella pulled back and gave me a watery smile, "how do you want to tell Ness?"

**

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A/N: I hope there is no more wondering if Edward is Nessie's dad. HE IS! So there was a lot going on in this chapter. I wonder if you picked up on any important Non-B/E/R stuff...push that little REVIEW button and let me know. I would so LOVE to hear from EVERYONE who reviewed last chapter. That would just rock my sox right off!**

**Breakfast Strata**

* 1 pound sliced bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

* 2 cups chopped fully cooked ham

* 1 small onion, chopped

* 10 slices white bread, cubed

* 1 cup cubed cooked potatoes (frozen country style hash browns work)

* 3 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

* 8 eggs

* 3 cups milk

* 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

* 1 teaspoon ground mustard

* 1 dash salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp; add ham and onion. Cook and stir until onion is tender; drain.

2. In a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish, layer half the bread cubes, potatoes and cheese. Top with all of the bacon mixture. Repeat layers of bread, potatoes and cheese.

3. In a bowl, beat the eggs; add milk, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, salt and pepper. Pour over all. Cover and chill overnight.

4. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Bake, uncovered, at 325 degrees F for 65-70 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.


	23. Garnishes

**A/N: Thanks again to everyone who reviewed! Another huge response, for which I am so grateful! **

**Super huge gigundo props to Sweetthunder for insane beta skills. She made this chappie sing.**

_**

* * *

Tapas at Twilight**_

**Chapter 22: Garnishes**

**BPOV**

It had been nearly a week since the accident and things were finally starting to get back to normal. Renee had arrived on Thursday in a ball of concern and worry. She dove in, pampering Nessie and taking care of her completely. It was a relief to be able to get some sleep and have time to get my life organized again. I also could not wait to get back into the kitchen at Tapas in time for the weekend rush. Jasper had been wonderful, he had really shown his ability to step up and run the restaurant, but Tapas was my other baby, and she needed my attention.

Edward had been steadily busy at work, but still managed to spend the evenings with us. He'd met with his counselor once since the accident and had come away with a slightly brighter perspective. He was still working through a lot of his feelings, but was optimistic.

As much as I wanted to know what went on in that session, I didn't want to pry too much. I knew he needed to work through this on his own, and that is exactly what he was doing. If he needed my help, he would come to me. I had learned that one of the best things about Edward is that even when he's in his personal space, he doesn't shut me out. He has a way of enveloping me and Nessie in his world, and for that, I couldn't love him more.

We had been going back and forth about how to break the news to our families that Edward was Nessie's biological father. I was most concerned with how to tell Grammy and Grampa Yorkie. We didn't get to see them very often anymore since they were in Arizona, living on a fixed income. But they still managed to call every so often and always sent gifts for Ness's birthday and Christmas. They had loved me like their own daughter and I always wanted to maintain a connection with them.

It was hard to come up with any solid plans because it felt like we were never alone. I was so thankful that my Mom was able to come and help us through this ordeal, but she was always around. Nessie and Jacob were still glued together, Alice or Jasper would pop in unannounced, and my apartment was starting to feel like the busiest terminal at O'Hare.

Honestly, I had barely had time to process this new development. How often do you find out you are dating your child's sperm donor? It almost felt like an episode of _Maury_. I needed some alone time with Edward to process this situation fully. We needed to be completely stable before we dropped this on Nessie. She has been through a lot in her short life, I know she loves Edward, but that is very different from finding out he's her real dad, well, her bio-dad. I also had to do a major overhaul on my own thought processes about this new dynamic.

I finished closing up the restaurant Sunday evening and texted Edward, asking him to meet me at his apartment. I jogged lightly up the stairs and knocked softly on his door. When it opened I was greeted with a tired but happy Edward. There were bags under his eyes and he was still in his work clothes even though it was after 11. Usually he'd already showered and changed by now, so I was a little surprised.

"Hey," he said smiling widely, "how are you?" He pulled me in and wrapped me up in a tight hug.

"Mmm, I'm fine," I pulled back wrinkling my nose a bit.

"What's that look for?" He asked playfully.

"Ummm, you kind of stink and I think I have sawdust in my mouth," I replied trying to wipe the tiny bits of wood off of my lips.

"Dang it, I'm sorry Bella," he looked down at his work shirt and tried brushing off the debris. In a swift move he grabbed the hem of the tee and yanked it off of his body. My eyes widened and glossed over. The summer had left his skin a sun-kissed golden brown and I couldn't help my wayward fingers as they ghosted over his muscled chest up to his strong shoulders.

"Is this better?" he asked in a liquid velvet voice as his hands dropped down to my hips, pulling me closer to his body.

"Guh, Edward do you really have no idea what that does to me?" I mumbled against his smooth chest.

"I might have a vague idea..." He leaned down and captured my lips in a hungry kiss, drawing me tightly against his bare chest. I drug my hands down his back and rested them on his hips, enjoying the salty kiss for another moment before pushing back gently.

"Edward we need to talk about how we're going to tell everyone."

"Mmnnngh, you taste like chocolate, why do you taste like chocolate?" he mumbled as he began to rub wide circles on my back, all the while nuzzling my neck.

"There were a few tiny pieces of brownie left over from the dessert shooters. Edward focus. It's late, I'm exhausted, you're exhausted, and you really need a shower."

"Hey, you're not exactly smelling like roses either, Sugar." I blushed and tried to discreetly take a whiff, but I knew he was right. Tonight had been especially busy and the kitchen just got hot, no matter how good the air circulation was. He chuckled and tugged me over to the couch. I sat down and waited for him to sit before resting my legs across his lap.

He leaned his head back on the couch and sighed softly kneading my calves. I hummed in appreciation at the attention and shifted slightly to get more comfortable.

"So...telling Ness," I started, trying to jumpstart a conversation that Edward had been avoiding all week. At least that's what it felt like.

"Yeah. I have no idea how to even begin to approach that." His brows furrowed and he just looked lost.

"Are you scared?" I offered tentatively. I knew he probably wouldn't want to admit it, but he was getting a lot better at communicating his feelings.

"No! Maybe. Maybe a lot." He reached up and ran his hands through his hair sending little flurries of sawdust into the air. I reached up and took his hand, interlocking his fingers with mine, and pulling his hand over my heart.

"Edward she loves you. I don't think that she's going to have a very hard time accepting this. She knows the basics of how she was conceived. It was the most awkward conversation I've had with her, but she understands. Knowing that you are her biological father, I think will actually thrill her. That little girl upstairs is a part of you and I know she is the best part of me, she loves you Edward, it's in her DNA."

"But what if she can't accept it? What if she freaks out and gets mad? I adore the relationship we've built thus far, I just don't want anything to ruin it."

I reached over and rubbed his scruffy jaw with my hand turning his head so that I could see his eyes. "I think you're over thinking this whole thing. Ness will be fine. She's so much stronger and more mature than I was at her age. She an old soul, just like you."

"Ahhrrgh. You're right. I know, I'm just nervous, that's all."

"I love you," I murmured. Faster than I realized he dropped to his knees in front of the couch and pinned me to the corner pressing his lips fervently to mine. I wrapped my arms around his neck and held on tight, enjoying the feel of his chest pressed so tightly against me. He pulled back slowly and smiled languidly, "I love you too."

I sat up and tried to straighten myself out. It was nearly midnight now, and I needed to get to bed. "Renee and Alice are dragging us out to do some school shopping for Ness tomorrow, how about you, me, and Ness have an early dinner, just the three of us and we can tell her then. If things go smoothly, we call everyone over for dessert, get your folks on iChat, and break the news then?"

"That sounds good. Maybe we could go to Dave & Busters, play a little, talk a little."

"She'd love that."

Edward walked me to the door and held me tight in his arms. "I'm not sleeping good with out you near me. I don't want to let you go."

I snuggled into Edward's chest and blushed as I was reminded of his current state of undress. "I don't sleep well without you either." I shook my head softly and reached up for one last kiss.

"Goodnight Edward."

"Sweet dreams, Beautiful."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Alice! My feet are killing me. Please let this be the last store, we're already carrying enough bags to require a pack mule." Alice was bustling us through the door of her favorite vintage shop, _LuLu's_, insisting we _had_ to stop here.

I had half a mind to plop myself down in the nearest chair and let Alice loose while I sat with the bags, but she was having none of it. She managed to sweet talk the clerk into keeping our bags behind the counter while we shopped.

In 10 minutes, Nessie's arms were full of things to try on and Alice had a sizeable heap in her own arms. I was pretty sure 90% of the items Alice held, were for me. A sales girl was leading us through the racks to the back of the store where the fitting rooms were when I felt a firm grip on my arm.

"Oh look at all the pretty flapper dresses!" squealed Alice. "We should each try one on just for fun! Bella, you go get started on this pile," she thrust the mound of clothing at me, "and I'll pick a fun one out for you."

We began our fashion show, displaying outfit after outfit, earning nods and claps of approval or sour scowls and thumbs down. Alice, of course looked adorable in a navy blue sailor style dress and my Mother looked like she belonged in the 20's wearing a sleeveless red dress covered in fringe and a matching cloche hat with a large black plume. Nessie came out next wearing a very cute drop waist dress in a bright floral print that looked adorable on her.

"Wait wait, the final touch," exclaimed Renee as she plopped a wide brimmed floppy hat on Nessie's head. Renesmee twirled excitedly and gave a deep curtsey as we applauded.

"Oh Ness, that dress will look so cute for one of your recitals! We have to get that one," Alice gushed. I noticed a brief look pass between Renee and Alice that seemed a bit strange, but I forgot all about that when Alice clicked her tongue shaking her head and shoved me back into the changing room.

"I'm all out of outfits," called out Nessie.

"Get changed and come sit with us Ness, your Mom has one more dress to try on."

A small hand shoved it's way through the curtain into my changing stall and held a gorgeous floor length sheath dress. It was barely off white, the shoulders and back were covered with a sheer fabric that had an early 20's art deco feel to it, while the bodice was fitted to the knee. There was a pearl detail around the knee and from there down it flared out into soft pool around the feet.

"Alice...this is..."

"Tut, tut. Just put it on. Trust me."

I sighed as I looked at the soft velvet gown. I had to admit it was a beautiful wedding dress, though it was vastly different from the crinolined puffy dress Renee had picked out when I married Eric. This one was simple and romantic, and classically elegant. I carefully slipped into the dress and pulled up the hidden zipper on the side of the bodice. It was a bit long, but everywhere else fit perfectly.

When I stepped out of the dressing room Alice, Renee and Nessie's eyes all snapped to me and I became the instant center of attention. I could even feel the eyes of the other customers boring into me as I walked to the pedestal in front of a large three-way mirror. The sales girl stepped over and put a very thin headband on with small white and gold feathers on the side.

"OH...", said Renee

"MY...", said Alice

"GOSH..." said Renesmee.

A hush seemed to fall over the entire store and I could feel my face heating up from the embarrassment of all eyes being on me. I looked cautiously into the mirror and gasped. The sheer fabric felt feather-light on my skin and the thin velvet fell fluidly across my hips and thighs.

Alice came behind me and reached up on her tip-toes to wrap my hair into a temporary chignon. Nessie stood in front of me with an awestruck smile on her face. "Mommy," she whispered, "you look more beautiful than Cinderella."

I looked over at my mother who had her hand over her mouth and a tear running down her cheek. "She's right Bella, this dress is perfect for you."

"I...I...don't know what to say." The dress made me feel more beautiful than I ever had before. And while I had a pretty good feeling that Edward and I would _eventually_ make things official, we weren't there yet.

"Say yes to the dress," quipped Alice. "When you have magic like this, you don't dither about it." She helped me down from the small pedestal letting my hair back down.

"Alice, we haven't even talked marriage. I'm not going to be counting chickens. Please don't push this. It's a beautiful dress and I love it, so if and when the moment arises we can come back and get it okay?"

"But Bella, it's perfect..."

"Please Alice." She glared at me clearly frustrated, but I think she could see she wasn't going to win this battle.

I shuffled into the dressing room and reverently removed the nearly 90 year old garment. I replaced it onto the pillowed satin hanger, redressed myself and pulled the curtain back.

After paying for out items, Alice and my Mom managed to wrangle all of the other purchases into the trunk of the Volvo. When they were through, I carefully laid the garment bag containing Nessie's dress over the top and closed the lid. We piled in the car and headed for home. My Mom and Ness were chatting about the upcoming school year while Alice stewed in silence beside me. I was enjoying listening in on Ness and Renee's conversation, but after 10 minutes of quiet Alice finally spoke.

"So the Volvo huh?" She rubbed along the dash board with her hand.

"He wouldn't take no for an answer. I stopped arguing when he started spouting safety ratings and crash survivability statistics." Both Alice and Renee snickered at that comment. We pulled up to the building and I beeped the horn. Just as we finished unloading all of the bags, Edward trotted out to the curb.

"Hey, wow! Did you guys buy out all of Chicago? Here, let me help with those." He gathered up all of the bags and followed us upstairs. He waited patiently for me to unlock the door before struggling through the door and setting down all the bags in a disorganized heap.

"Thanks hon, how has your day been so far?"

"Oh fine, same ol' same ol'. You know..." he trailed off and looked over at Renesmee who was digging through some of the bags with Alice. "So are you excited for Dave & Busters Ness?"

"Yes! I want to do DDR with you okay Edward?"

"DDR?"

"Dance Dance Revolution!" she replied with an obvious 'duh' in her voice.

"You'll have to show me how okay?"

"Sure sure, you just have to follow the arrows. Don't worry, it's easy." She nodded and went back to digging through the bags for her purchases.

I was trying to hold back the giggles thinking of Edward at the arcade jumping around on a DDR game. I would have to remember my camera. I'm sure if I tried it we would end up back in the Emergency room, and we'd had enough of that this month!

"So I've got some stuff to finish up in my apartment then I'll come back in a couple of hours to pick my girls up okay?"

"Sounds good, that should give me enough time to make dessert."

"Mmmmm dessert, is it chocolate?" He leaned forward to try and nuzzle my neck.

"No," I pushed his chest playfully, "it's a rustic peach tart. Go, do your stuff and I'll do mine. Love you." I kissed him lightly and smiled at the mischievous look in his eye.

"Love you too."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Edward stumbled down from the dance platform, little beads of sweat forming on his brow, shaking his head. Nessie was beaming with pride after thoroughly schooling him twice on the dancing game.

"Jeez, I thought I had some good moves," he complained rubbing the back of his neck with one hand.

"Oh, that is going to be some excellent blackmail footage. Please don't do anything that would make me have to sell it to Emmett."

"I promise!" he replied, crossing his heart. "I think I'll just stick with good old fashioned Skeeball."

Our pager buzzed letting us know our food was ready so we returned to our table and dug in to greasy pizza and hot wings. Edward grew very quiet, chewing slowly. The moment we'd both been waiting for this whole week was upon us. He looked at me with trepidation in his eyes. We'd decided that I would begin the conversation but we would both tell her.

Ness looked back and forth between the both of us and said, "You guys are so weird," then tore off another slice of deep dish pizza. That seemed to dispel some of the building tension gathering around our table. Edward chuckled softly and raked his hand nervously through his hair, his expression begging me to get on with it.

"So Ness, there's something we wanted to talk to you about." She had just taken a bite of pizza and was fighting with a long string of mozzarella cheese that wouldn't stop stretching. She pinched it off and wrapped it around her index finger and popped it into her mouth.

"What is it mom?" she mumbled through her food.

"Manners please," I chided.

She smiled and rolled her eyes a little while she chewed quickly.

"Sorry mom. What?"

I took a deep breath trying to remember all of the words I'd rehearsed in my mind. "Well, you know how we talked about how you had two Dad's right?"

She nodded and took another bite of pizza. So far she was still completely unfazed by the conversation.

"So when you were in the hospital we found out some pretty important news," Edward continued, his voice trembling very slightly.

"Ness, we discovered that Edward is you Bio-dad." She stopped chewing and looked at me, then Edward, who looked like he was about to be sick, he was so green. Nessie swallowed her food and looked blankly at the table for a moment. After a few seconds though a smile began to creep across her face.

She beamed pure sunshine at Edward and began squeezing my hand. "Really?" she finally asked excitedly.

"Really. We double checked when we got home. Edward is your Father." I smiled at her enthusiasm. I knew she would be happy about this news.

"What do you think kiddo?" Edward was cautious and tentative in his tone, but hopeful. So hopeful.

Nessie jumped out of her seat and leapt onto Edward's lap throwing her arms around his neck. "I think it's awesome," she squealed.

"I do too Ness. I do too," he whispered, hugging her tightly. She calmed down a bit and grew quiet. She was such a smart girl, so it wasn't a shock when she asked her next question.

"But what about Daddy...I mean my first Dad?" I was about to answer when Edward surprised me by starting before I could.

"Renesmee, your Father Eric, was the luckiest man on the planet, because he got to spend time with you and your Mom. I don't doubt for a minute that he loved you to pieces. He will always be an important person in your life and neither I or your Mom will ever let you forget that. I would count myself the second luckiest man on the planet if I get to spend the rest of forever with you two. How does that sound to you?"

"Can we still go visit Grammy and Grampa?" She looked to me and I couldn't hold the tears back anymore.

"Of course we will sweetie, I'm sure they would love to meet Edward." She seemed to nod, still contemplative. Nessie looked up to Edward with shining eyes.

"So does this mean I can call you Dad?" She sniffed.

"I would be honored if you called me Dad." Edward's lip was trembling as she wrapped her arms around him and whispered, "I love you Daddy."

"I love you too Ness." He sobbed into her hair hugging her tightly.

She pulled back and smiled brightly at the both of us. She was handling everything much better than even I had suspected she would. I'm sure there would be other questions and confusing situations that we'd have to work through, but right now, I think she was just thrilled to know that she has a living Father who loves her.

Some of the other people in the restaurant had noticed our exchange but I'm not sure they knew what to think of it. In true Nessie fashion she made an announcement.

"This is the best restaurant ever, I just won a new Dad on DDR!" Everyone cracked up and a few people clapped. I was of course turning a lovely shade of crimson, while Edward radiated joy.

We continued our dinner, talking about how Esme and Carlisle were now her Grandparents, which was also an exciting prospect for her. We were almost done with our food when she asked, "So if Edward is my Dad, and you're my Mom, that makes us a family right?"

"Riiiight," I asked warily.

"So are you guys going to get married?"

Edward spluttered the sip of soda he'd just taken and I started choking on the bite of pizza that I was chewing. Edward grabbed a few napkins and wiped his nose and face off, following up with the table that had been speckled with Coke. I'd finally gotten my food dislodged and chased it down with a large gulp of lemonade.

I heard Edward muttering and watched carefully as he reached into his pocket. He pulled out a blue box and set it on the table. My eyes grew wide as saucers as I looked at the little square in the center of the table. My breathing picked up and I could feel my hands shaking. He smiled ruefully and pushed the box towards Nessie.

"I didn't exactly plan on doing this here, but now seems like the perfect time. Go ahead Ness, open it, that's for you."

I was suddenly a little confused, had I just assumed Edward was going to propose? I immediately knew I would have said yes, but this night was about Nessie. She tentatively opened the box and gasped when she saw what was inside. She pulled the necklace out and was mesmerized as she watched the three hearts dangle from the chain. She handed it to me and lifted her hair so I could clasp it around her neck.

"Those hearts represent your Mom, Me and you," Edward said softly.

"I love it...Daddy, thank you." She smiled demurely.

I blew out a breath and grinned, "That's going to take some getting used to."

"Probably not as much as Mrs. Cullen," he reached into his pocket and pulled out a second box only this time he slid out of the booth and got down on one knee. In that moment all of the activity going on around us, the cacophony of video game beeps and buzzes, the shouting children, all of it disappeared and only Edward remained.

"Bella, we've only known each other for a short while, but you and Ness are my past, my present and I hope my future. Will you marry me?" My breathing stopped and I reached my hand out to cup his cheek. He grinned widely and popped open the jewelry box. Inside lay a beautiful three stone diamond ring sparkling brilliantly from it's perch.

"Yes," I breathed. "Yes I will marry you." He reached for my trembling left hand and gently slid the ring onto my finger. In that moment I felt like my heart was whole again.

"I love you Bella Swan, with all that I am."

"I love you Edward Cullen." I crashed my lips to his and focused all my energy into the man kneeling in front of me. He held me tightly as our lips moved deliciously back and forth; I savored this kiss like the richest piece of cheesecake ever made. I smiled against his lips thinking to myself that I'd get to have that cheesecake when ever I wanted now. I could hear Nessie squealing with excitement. We slowly broke away from our kiss to bring Nessie into our embrace.

My heart was overflowing with love and emotion for the two people sitting next to me. They were both mine forever and I couldn't have been happier in that moment than I already was. We gathered up our things and made our way out of the building. Just as we were about to leave, the manager stopped us and handed Edward a large cup full of game tokens. Edward looked at him quizzically.

"I don't think I've ever had anyone propose in my store, so congratulations," he said with a hearty grin.

"Thanks, I think this might become our favorite family hangout!" Edward replied jovially.

As we drove home Edward called Esme and Carlisle. "Hey Mom, do you think you and Dad could get on iChat in about 20 minutes? Yeah, we're having a family meeting of sorts. No, everything's fine. Yeah, we just have something to tell you guys."

**

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A/N: So who was expecting a proposal at Dave & Busters? Remember, Edward's had Grandma's ring for a couple weeks now, so he's been trying to find a way to ask her. Leave me some love with a little REVIEW! You guys are so awesome! Let's see if we can push over 1000 for this chapter, that would be the best! The chapter title, Garnishes= Bella and Nessie's new bling, just in case you didn't get that.**

**I have made this recipe before and it really is super tasty!**

**Rustic Peach and Blueberry Crostata**

**by Tyler Florence (Food Network)**

Pastry:

* 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

* 3 tablespoons sugar

* 1/4 teaspoon salt

* 1 lemon, zest finely grated

* 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cut into small chunks

* 1 large egg yolk

* 2 tablespoons ice water, plus more if needed

Filling:

* 4 large ripe peaches, pitted and sliced

* 1 pint fresh blueberries

* 1/2 lemon, juiced

* 2 tablespoons sugar

* 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

Glaze:

* 1 large egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

* 2 tablespoons sugar

Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Directions

To make the pastry: combine the flour, sugar, salt, and lemon zest in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and mix with a pastry blender or your hands until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the egg yolk and pour in the ice water; work it in to bind the dough until it holds together without being too wet or sticky. Squeeze a small amount together, if it is crumbly, add more ice water, 1 teaspoon at a time. Form the dough into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

To make the filling: combine the peaches, blueberries, lemon juice, sugar, and flour in a large mixing bowl. Toss the mixture gently to coat the fruit.

Prepare your wooden burning brick oven according to manufacturer's directions or place a pizza stone in a conventional oven and preheat to 375 degrees F.

Sprinkle the counter and a rolling pin lightly with flour. Roll the dough out into a 14-inch circle, about 1/4-inch thick; it doesn't have to be perfect, free-form is the look you want for this rustic tart. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured pizza paddle. Spoon the fruit mixture into the center of the dough, leaving a 2-inch border all around; brush the border with the egg wash. Lift the edge of crust over the filling, leaving the fruit exposed in center. Gently fold and pinch the dough to seal any cracks. Brush the crust with the remaining egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. Bake the crostata directly on the brick oven floor towards the front or on the preheated pizza stone for 30 to 40 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and fruit is bubbly and tender. Slide a pizza paddle under the tart to remove it from the oven. Serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream.


	24. Preheat The Oven

**A/N: Another gazillion million thanks for all of the awesome reviews. We passed the 1K mark last chapter and that is awesome, and all thanks to you!**

**Big thanks to Sweetthunder for the beta work!**

_**

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Tapas at Twilight**_

**Chapter 23: Preheat the Oven**

**EPOV**

I was floating on air the entire ride home. All of my concerns and worries dissolved the moment Nessie said 'I love you Daddy'. She was my daughter, and her mother, the woman I loved more than life itself was now my fiancée. I mentally kicked myself twice for proposing in the crazy wonderland of Dave & Busters, but the moment was too perfect. When Nessie asked if we were going to be a family, the answer had to be yes. I wanted to take Bella to the Firehouse Restaurant and have a private five star dinner, a romantic walk along the waterfront, a moonlight proposal, but fate had other plans.

Ness's keen sense of timing gave me an opening that I couldn't refuse. I'd been carrying those two little boxes with me everywhere since we'd confirmed that Ness was my daughter. I looked over to Bella's delicate hand and grinned as the diamonds of my Grandmother's ring reflected the moonlight filtering into the car. As much as I was relieved that she had said yes, it was amazing how fast all of the worry and concern for their futures fell on me. I was already making plans for our future, ALL of our futures. Tomorrow that future was going to start with a talk with Jacob Black.

After hanging up with my folks I grabbed Bella's hand and repeatedly brought it to my lips kissing her ring finger. She would blush and giggle every time. Ness was chattering on and on about how cool this all was. I was listening but it was hard to focus on the actual words. I was still in such a euphoric state it was taking all my concentration to keep us from crashing.

I pulled up in front of our building and turned off the car. Bella made a move to get out but I grabbed her hand and pulled her back inside, angling my body so I could see Ness as well.

"So how are we gonna do this?" I inquired. Bella hummed as she looked between me and Nessie.

"Well, I should probably take this off," she said wiggling her finger, "it's like a giant homing beacon. As soon as Alice catches a glimpse she's gonna go DEFCON 1 and launch a full scale attack. Ness you should probably tuck your necklace into your shirt at least at the beginning."

I didn't like the suggestion, but she was right about Alice. "I wish you could keep it on always, but you're right. It will be impossible to tell everyone our own way if Alice catches on too quickly." She nodded thoughtfully and then turned to me squeezing my hand. We were so lucky to have put together this great group of friends. They had become like family to us and I felt like everything that had been bleak and empty in my heart was now full. I looked over at Bella and Nessie and all I could think was, my cup runneth over.

"Edward you realize I'm not going to be able to wear it while I'm cooking right? I don't want to get raw chicken and other food gunk stuck in it. I promise I'll always wear the wedding band, but I don't want to muck up this beautiful symbol of your love for me." I frowned even further. I hadn't even thought about that. I would have to get her a chain; she could wear it around her neck while she worked.

"It's okay Love, I understand." I kissed her ring finger again, pushed away my sour feelings and focused on our current mission.

"I have an idea," exclaimed Nessie. We listened carefully to her plan and came up with the perfect way to let everyone in on our news.

When we walked into the building, my apartment door was open and we could hear the chatter of our family and friends.

Bella had called and asked Renee to set up dessert in my apartment simply because there was more room. I smiled secretly thinking about how this would soon be Bella and Ness's apartment too, how this would be _our_ home.

I wrapped my arm around Bella's shoulders and followed Ness into the apartment. She ran to the couch and jumped on Emmett who promptly turned her upside down and held her by the waist tickling her sides. When she finally cried uncle he righted her and set her back down. She skipped around the room giving everyone hugs finally settling on the love seat next to Renee.

"So how about dessert everyone?" Bella asked.

"It's warming in the oven Bells," Jasper called out as she went into the kitchen. I followed after her and got out plates and forks for everyone. She quickly served portions of the peach tart while I topped them off with scoops of vanilla bean ice cream.

Once everyone was enjoying their food, I opened my laptop and logged into iChat. Nessie was regaling everyone with my abject failure at DDR; Bella thankfully kept the video proof a secret. The last thing I needed right now was a thorough ribbing from Emmett. After a few minutes my parents connected and we began our video chat.

"Hey Mom, Dad. Can you see everyone?"

"It's a little fuzzy, but yes, we can see you all. Hi everyone!" greeted Esme.

"Hi Esme and Carlisle!" we all responded.

"So why were we all summoned? Not that I'm complaining about getting dessert out of the gathering." Alice was perched on the edge of her seat having already polished off her food.

"Well we found out some things when Ness was in the hospital," Bella stated gravely. Everyone's faces fell, and it was hard to keep my face somber as well.

"It's nothing serious is it?" asked my father, concern laced in his every word.

"I'm afraid it is pretty serious. It's going to affect all our lives pretty significantly," I added with as much gravity as I could muster. This little ruse of Nessie's was harder to pull off than I'd imagined.

I looked over and saw the worried faces of our friends and felt the blanket of sadness that surrounded our group. Alice looked so confused and heartbroken that I didn't know how she was going to react. It was time to wrap this up.

"Ness come here," Bella called out. Renesmee walked slowly over to where we were and climbed up into my lap. Bella took her hand and gave her a reassuring squeeze.

"How about you tell everyone our news." She nodded and took a deep breath, like she was preparing to deliver a death sentence. She was a good little actress.

"Everyone?" she cleared her throat, "I would like to introduce you to my bio-dad, Edward. He's my donor father."

There was a moment of complete silence. The only noise to be heard was the soft ticking of the clock on the wall. After that first moment of pause everyone erupted at the same time.

"WHAT?

"ARE YOU SERIOUS?"

"IS THIS FOR REAL?"

"HOW?"

"DUDE!"

We let the surprise and shock wear off and began fielding everyone's questions. Nessie pulled out her necklace and showed everyone the three hearts. When Ness was directly in front of the laptop she smiled shyly and said, "Hi Grandma and Grandpa Cullen."

I scooted up behind her and peered over her shoulder to see both of my parents wiping tears from their eyes. "Please sweetie, you can call us Gramma Esme and Grampa Carlisle, or just whatever you want dear. You know we've loved you forever though don't you?" My mother was completely overcome with emotion, her voice was filled with the love that she seemed to have in endless supply.

"I love you too," she smiled sweetly before going back to show Alice her necklace. The relief on Alice's face was proof enough that our little ruse to begin with was all but forgotten.

I turned back to the laptop, everyone else seemed to give us a bit of privacy while Bella and I spoke to my folks.

"How son? This is just so unreal. I can't even..." My father, not normally so out of sorts, was at a complete loss for words.

"Marcus, Dad. You sent us both to Marcus, the timing of it all just happened to be serendipitous."

At that revelation, understanding dawned on him and he clapped his hand over his mouth. "Oh my. I never interfered, I promise, this is as big a surprise to me as it is to you."

"I know Dad, don't worry, I think we're just chalking this up to something that was meant to be."

"Marcus is never going to believe this coincidence, you don't mind if I tell him do you?"

I looked over to Bella double checking with her before giving our consent. She smiled and nodded, "he was such a huge help to Eric and me throughout the whole process, to know that you and I are together now, and that you are Nessie's donor father would probably blow his mind."

"I guess that's a yes for both of us Dad. Let us know what he says okay?"

"Will do Son."

"We love you both," my mother said, "and Renesmee too. Make sure she knows that."

"We will, now we have a little bit more to discuss so let me get everyone's attention again okay?"

It was time to put part two of the plan into action. Quietly Bella slipped the ring out of her pocket and placed it back on her finger. It was time to detonate the Marriage-Bomb.

I set the laptop back on the table so that Renee could talk to Esme and then settled back on the chair with my arms around Bella. She reached up and rested her left hand over mine and we waited, patient smiles adorning both our faces.

10...9...8...7...6...5...4..._Not as long as I thought._

"EEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh. OH. MY. GOSH!" Alice flew to Bella's side and nearly disconnected her hand from her wrist to get a better view of the ring.

Everyone whipped around to stare at Alice and Bella. Nessie giggled and said, "Oh yeah, Mom and Dad are getting married too."

We were again bombarded with another round of questions and tears and congratulations. Everyone was smiling except Alice, who then came over and started to knuckle punch me in the arm.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow, Alice!" Jasper was quick though, to pick up the evil little sprite-like woman and remove her to the couch on the opposite side of the room. "What was that for?" I asked rubbing my arm.

"You proposed at Dave & Busters? I cannot BELIEVE you proposed to her there."

"Hush Alice," Bella piped up, "it was perfect. Besides we got a bucket of free tokens out of the deal," she replied with a chuckle. _That's my girl_.

"Alice, please believe me when I say I did not plan for it to happen that way. But my beautiful, intelligent, smarty-pants daughter," I jerked my thumb toward Ness, "gave me an opening that I couldn't pass up." Nessie positively glowed when I called her my daughter, I'm sure I wasn't far behind in the glowing department either.

We then spent a few more minutes reliving the proposal and all the events that brought us to where we were at that moment.

"So when's the wedding?" asked Rosalie. Since Nessie's accident, she had softened up considerably toward Bella and myself. And while she was fierce, she was tremendously loyal. I was glad that she and Emmett were our friends. I don't even want to think about what it would be like to be their enemy.

"Ugh. We got as far as 'yes I will marry you', that's about it," said Bella with a tired smile. Nessie had wedged herself in between Alice and Jasper and was starting to nod off. I looked at the clock and noticed that it was nearing midnight.

"How about I take my princess upstairs and get her tucked into bed? Say goodnight Gracie." I leaned forward and picked up the sleepy girl, her head resting gently on my shoulder.

"Goodnight Gracie. Who's Gracie?" She mumbled sleepily causing everyone to laugh.

"Never mind sweetheart, it's not important," I whispered treading carefully up the stairs.

It was comical to watch Nessie float on auto pilot getting her pajamas and going to the bathroom to change and brush her teeth. When she came out, her eyes were almost completely closed so I guided her to the bed and tucked the light blanket around her. She wiggled around trying to get comfortable and then stretched out her arm patting around the bed looking for something.

"What is it Ness?" I was scanning around looking for a bear or baby doll or something.

"Where's Bop n' Beep?" She was still patting the bed with one eye lazily cracked open.

"Who and the what now?" I asked completely confused. She opened her eyes a little further and scanned the room.

"Over there on the chair by the window. Bop n' Beep." I walked over to the chair piled high with discarded clothing and pulled out the craziest looking thing I'd ever seen. It was blue on one side with two eyes stacked vertically, horns and fangs. On the other side it was green with an "X" for eyes and it's tongue sticking out.

_She likes to sleep with this?_

"Is this what you mean?" I scowled and held up the plush thing like it had come out of the dumpster behind _Tapas_. "When did you get this?" I didn't remember seeing it before.

"Jake gave it to me. He's the best," she yawned out, "it's my Uglydoll."

"You can say that again," I muttered under my breath.

"I love you Daddy," at that my heart melted into a huge rainbow colored puddle.

I kissed her on the cheek and whispered, "I love you too Angel. Sweet dreams."

When I returned back to my apartment Renee and Esme were still talking; my father was no longer in the picture so I assumed he turned in for the night to let the hens cluck. Everyone else was in the kitchen where Emmett and Jasper were cleaning and drying the dishes.

"So I think I might want to hire someone to check him out. He's dirty I can feel it," Bella blew out a long breath and leaned back. She looked like she'd just finished a pretty long story.

"Who's dirty?" I asked trying to get up to speed on the conversation.

"James," she replied. "Remember how I told you I saw Victoria on the footage Ness and Jake were working on?"

"Oh yeah, that was fishy." She had been quite excited about seeing that video, but neither of us were too sure on what she should do about it. Because the images were so far away, the quality was iffy at best. I didn't think the cops would be able to do much with what we had.

"I can get it taken care of Bells. I know a guy," said Emmett in his best Chicgoan Mafioso voice.

"Emmett, I don't want to bump him off, I just want him to quit trying to sabotage me."

"I'm just sayin," he whispered in a forced Marlon Brando-esque tone of voice, while scratching along his chin. "Seriously though, a buddy of mine does some freelance private eye stuff. I can have him give you a call if you want."

"Please just tell me his name isn't Vinnie or Knuckles or something like that," she chuckled.

Emmett's face twisted into a mischievous smirk, "Well, actually his name is Vincent Piretti, but everyone calls him Big Daddy, he's cool. Trust me."

"It probably wouldn't hurt Bells, we don't really have anything to take to the police, so why not snoop around and see what this punk is up to," Jasper said in a calm and calculating voice. "You might also want to keep an eye on Jessie, she was sniffing around your office the day you guys went to the hospital. Something just feels a little off with her."

She looked up at me with questioning eyes. I simply shrugged, "It's your call Bella, like we talked about before, I have no idea about this kind of thing." She turned back to face Jasper and Emmett and nodded.

"Yeah, I think a P.I. is exactly what we need right now, and I'll be sure to keep my eye on Jessie." She seemed settled on her decision, nodded, and leaned back into my embrace.

After that my brain checked out. I think Bella's did too. Jasper and Emmett launched into a tactical discussion while Rose and Alice commandeered Bella's hand again for another in depth examination of the ring. I just tightened my arms around my amazing fiancée and enjoyed the feeling of being encased in our own private bubble; we were the only people in the whole world and as far as I was concerned it could stay that way forever.

I looked down at the beautiful sleepy woman in my arms and kissed her temple. "I love you Isabella."

She turned her head towards me and returned the cheesy smile that had been permanently etched onto my face. "I love you too, Edward."

Everyone began making gagging noises around us and took that as their hint to head on home. Renee gave Bella an enormous hug, whispering something to her that made them both burst into a fit of tears. Bella nodded and said good night.

Renee surprised me a little though when she came up and gave me a big hug too. "That's from Ezzy as well. I'm so happy I get to call you Son. Thank you for being so wonderful to my babies. You're a good man Edward." She squeezed one more time and waved as she headed into the guest bedroom down the hall from my kitchen.

For the second time that night I picked up one of my girls and took her upstairs where I tucked her into bed. _We need to set a date and soon. These current sleeping arrangements suck._

Bella was nearly completely out as we shared one final kiss. I flopped down on my empty bed and closed my eyes still feeling like the happiest man on the planet.

**BPOV**

It had been nearly a week since Edward's proposal and I felt like I was floating on air. He gave me a beautifully simple rope chain that I could put my ring on while I was cooking, "so I could always have him close to my heart," he explained when he gave it to me.

I had also spoken to Big Daddy, Emmett's P.I. friend. He took down all of the information that I had, I also forwarded him the video footage that Jake had sent me. We discussed his fee which made me choke on my own spit, but if that's what it took to flush James out, then so be it. After that conversation I took to my books and poured over my finances. _Tapas_ was making it but barely. I wasn't putting anything back into my savings, so we were still on a shoestring.

When Edward popped into my office that afternoon he tried all of his usual tricks to distract me, but I was still stressed. He could tell by the way I was mowing down the red pepper straws I'd baked up earlier. After another frustrated sigh I finally laid out everything so that he could see what I was working with. Now that we were engaged, we had both agreed on a full disclosure policy. With me it was pretty much 'what you see is what you get'. Edward, on the other hand, lived so simply that I had absolutely no idea how well off he was.

That night he went through all of his financials with me and I was more than a little intimidated. He had no school loans, he owned our building free and clear, he had made sound investments and the majority of his trust fund was sitting pretty in a long term CD account where the monthly interest payment alone was enough for us to live _VERY_ comfortably.

He offered to pay for the P.I. fee but I wouldn't even consider it. Even though it was comforting to know that we wouldn't have to worry about day to day living, I still wanted _Tapas_ to pay for itself, and that included the business of investigating James.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The kitchen seemed to finally be running smoothly. It had taken a while after my leave of absence, but we had finally gotten back into the swing of things and the working rhythm in the kitchen was perfect. We didn't get behind, the food going out was impeccable, and the utensils and dishes were spotless and always available. For once I never had to hunt for a fry pan.

The night was winding down and I was carrying an armload of dishes over to the wash station. As I had come to expect, the sink was clear and Jessie was busy polishing glasses. I eased the dirties into the sink and wiped my hands off on my apron. Jessie set the glass down that she'd been working on and dove her hands into the sink and began scrubbing.

I took Jasper's words to heart and had been watching Jessie all week long, but never saw anything more than her hard work. I was even able to engage her in a few short conversations over the last few days. I shook off Jasper's cautions and decided to acknowledge her dedication and outstanding work ethic and now just seemed like the right opportunity.

"Hey Jessie," she inclined her head to show that she was listening. I still had to get used to her quiet personality, she hardly ever spoke to anyone, just kept her nose down and worked hard. "I just wanted to thank you for doing such a good job. I really appreciate all that you do. I know it's not a glamorous job, but without you, the kitchen would totally fall apart."

She set the pan she'd been scrubbing into the sanitizer and turned to face me. She had a wrinkle in her brow and seemed to be mulling something over in her head.

"I...uh...thanks. It's nice to have a job where people just let me work and don't...well, I like working here. Everyone is really nice." Her gravely voice was another thing I had to get used to, but I was glad to hear that she felt comfortable in our work environment.

"Well, that's good to hear, because we like having you here. You really are a valuable asset to the restaurant, so thanks." Her forehead creased which only confused me more. Generally when you heap on that kind of praise, you would expect a smile. She nodded and turned back to the sink of dishes and plunged back into the murky water.

I returned to my office to look over the receipts for the night. Jasper and Alice popped in to say goodnight and then headed off. I slumped down in my chair and took a few long breaths. I reached around my neck and unclasped the necklace, took my ring off the chain and replaced it onto my fourth finger. I couldn't get over how it sparkled, or the symbolism of the three stones. Just like Renesmee's necklace there was a stone for each of us. I smiled again at how fate had played such an active role in our past, present and future. For once I felt like I was being dealt a kind hand.

A soft knock on the door frame drew me back from my daydreaming and I was a little surprised to see Jessie standing there. She looked terribly uncomfortable, shifting from one foot to the other. She brought her hands in front of her wringing her fingers tightly together.

"Oh, hey Jessie. Heading out?" She looked down and seemed to be muttering something under her breath.

"Um, actually I was wondering if I could talk to you." Her tone was cautious, like she didn't want to say something but needed too. I was going to have to pry this out of her.

"You're not going to quit on me are you?" I laughed trying to break some of the tension.

"Uh no, well, you might want me to. I just need to tell you something." I could see the battle she was fighting and began to wonder if maybe I should've given more weight to Jasper's warning.

"Have a seat, I'm listening." She lumbered over to the chair opposite my desk and sat down.

"I wasn't lying when I said I liked working here. I really do, but I haven't been completely honest with you." Alarm bells and warning flags were going off in my head and I could feel the rising tide of sick panic bubbling in my stomach.

"Go on," I prompted at her silence.

"I used to work for Mike Newton. I was his office manager, I know that James Beaufort paid him to mess up your deliveries." The panic began to turn into rage as I realized that she was a plant. But there was something about her, about this whole encounter that screamed that I should not jump to conclusions. So I fought the urge in an effort to hear her out. I let her stew in the strained silence until she continued.

"When it was clear that Newton's was going to go belly-up, James asked me to work for him. He wanted me to get close to you, to help him bring down your place."

I was seething and barely hanging on to my emotions. I wanted to scream and cry and hit something or _someone_ really hard.

"But since I started working here, I finally feel valued. Mike always treated me like garbage, I was constantly overlooked. I knew James was using me but I needed the money. After working for you though, I've felt needed and I like that. No one is trying to mess with anyone else here. Everyone is on the same team and I like that."

She huffed out a breath and continued, "I guess what I'm saying is that I want to help you. James had painted you as some kind of evil witch that stole his best recipes and screwed him over. But I've come to see that that's not the case. You don't deserve the crap he's trying to pull over on you. I want to help you get him off your back."

I sat there for a long moment trying to sort through what she was telling me. She was in a very unique position and had just yielded quite a bit of power to me by letting me know what her initial motivations for working at _Tapas_ were. Big Daddy was going to be very happy to know we had a ready made double agent, but the nagging question was still out there.

"How do I know you won't double-cross me just like you're doing to James right now?" Her shoulders slumped, and she looked sad.

"I suppose you don't. But believe me when I say that James is a piece of scum. I hate working for him as much as I hated working for Mike. You can trust me, I swear on my daughter's life." She stood up to leave and I was hit with the gravity of her oath. "Oh, and I'm glad that Ness is okay. She's a sweet kid." She walked out of my office and I heard the locker door open and close.

"Jessie?" I called out, "can you come back in here?" She slowly came to stand in the doorway looking down at her feet.

"I'm going to trust you, but know that if you mess with me, you will regret it." She nodded and looked up with a glint of hope in her eye. "I need you to talk to my P.I. okay?" I picked up the phone and dialed Big Daddy's number.

"Hey...It's Bella? Uh huh... I've got your 'in'. Yeah, here she is," I handed the phone to Jessie and felt another piece of the puzzle click into place. Time to preheat the oven; James' goose is about to get cooked.

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A/N: Things are starting to heat up! So how did you like the family reaction? Let me know what you thought! Do you think we can beat 91 reviews for a chapter? I think you can! If we get 100+ reviews for this chapter, I'll write a little outtake of Edward and Jacob speaking Mano a Mano.  
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**And thanks to BellaMadonna for making sure Edward's finances are in order. ;D  
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**Red Pepper Straws**

* 1 shallot, finely chopped

* 2/3 cup(s) chopped marinated roasted red pepper

* 1 tablespoon(s) olive oil

* 1 1/3 cup(s) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for sprinkling

* 2 sheets thawed frozen puff pastry

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Sauté shallot and roasted red pepper in olive oil, 4 to 5 minutes. Let cool. Stir in grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

2. Roll 1 sheet puff pastry to 1/16-inch thickness. Trim to about a 16- by 8-inch rectangle. Spread red-pepper mixture over dough. Roll out the other sheet to same dimensions and place over first sheet. Press slightly to seal. Lightly brush with water and sprinkle with more grated cheese.

3. Cut dough into 24 eight-inch-long strips. Twist each strip and transfer to 2 parchment-lined baking pans. Chill for 20 minutes. Bake for 15 minutes.


	25. Simmering

**A/N: Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed! I really appreciated all of your comments! So please Review, I truly love hearing what you guys think!**

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Tapas at Twilight**

**Chapter 24: Simmering**

**AlicePOV**

Jasper unlocked the door and tossed his keys on the counter. He stretched up and let out a long and low whistle. "Can you believe that Al?"

"The circumstances are incredible, that's for sure. He's perfect, though, for both of them. He is so sweet with Ness, it's almost heartbreaking. But I knew those two would get together. I knew it from the first time he walked into the space; Nessie is just cosmic proof that they belong with each other."

He nodded thoughtfully and pulled me close next to him on the couch. "So how about..."

"Jasper Whitlock, so help me if the next words out of your mouth are 'how about we get hitched baby?' I will...I...."

"You'll what darlin'?" he asked leaning closer to me, wrapping his arm around my waist, his nose was ghosting along my cheek and I could feel the moist heat of his breath tickling my neck. He was simultaneously setting me on fire and dousing my ire, frustrating me to no end.

"I...will say YES you big dummy," I stuttered out exasperated. I had dreamed about having this conversation with him, but this was not in the script. He grinned as he circled his arms tighter around my waist, laying soft kisses along my neck.

"Well that certainly makes my part less stressful then doesn't it. I love you Alice, I just want you to be mine forever," he pulled back with the most earnest expression.

"I can't believe what I'm about to...I want you to be mine forever too Jasper," I smiled softly and brought my lips gently to his. He growled a bit and pressed me down into the couch cushions.

"I'm gonna make an honest woman out of you Alice Brandon." He smiled wider than the Cheshire Cat.

"You know I already have my ring picked out right?"

"I wouldn't expect anything less from you sweetheart and I'm sure you'll show it to me first thing tomorrow. And Alice?"

"Yes?"

"For the record, I was going to say how about we call it a night since it's so late." He had the nerve to peck me on the cheek and trot off to the bedroom. I sat there fuming over his casual treatment of our engagement. But as I thought about it, we had both known from the moment we met that we were going to end up here. In a way I guess it's my own fault for jumping to conclusions, I should've just let him finish what he was saying. I sighed dreamily and hopped off the couch, twirling my way to the bedroom. _When it's right, it's right._

The next morning I called up Esme and Renee. Esme emailed me all of the information that she'd gathered on venues and florists, and Renee and I made plans to go on a covert emergency shopping trip.

For once I was glad that the Moms had done some of the leg work on this venture, we needed to get those two love birds hitched. There was so much sexual tension crackling between them I'm surprised we hadn't seen the ignition of a second great Chicago fire. Mrs. O'Leary's cow had nothing on those two.

I arrived at _Tapas_ a couple hours earlier than usual so that Renee and I could go back to Lulu's and get that dress for Miss Stubborn. I still don't understand why people don't just do as I say; in this case it would've saved at least 2 gallons of gas. I heard a loud clattering noise from the kitchen and decided to investigate.

I wish that my premonitions about the future were more like a movie than a feeling, because if I'd been able to see what was going on behind those swinging doors, I never would've burst in.

Not that it mattered much since they didn't even hear me come in. Edward had Bella pressed against the wall next to the shelves where all the pots and pans were stored, a large stack of sauce pots in a heap on the floor.

_Well that explains the noise._

He looked like a man dying of thirst and Bella was the oasis. The way he drank her in and the way she was responding to every touch was overwhelming at the very least. Just looking at them, I knew that Edward had brought Bella back to life, and Bella has certainly unleashed something in him. They were in their own world right now, and at this rate, it couldn't last much longer without boiling over. I quickly backed up out of the kitchen not wanting to interrupt their private moment.

I knocked on Edward's apartment and greeted Renee with a big smile. "We have work to do," she sang out my five favorite words.

"That we do. When does Nessie start back to school?"

"Hmmm, three weeks I think?"

I started doing calculations in my head, it would be close but it had to work.

"Okay, that means we've got 2 weeks to get those two hitched. They're going to spontaneously combust any minute."

"You think so? I don't know, I mean yes, they're affectionate, but they seem so in control." I began chuckling.

"That's because you didn't just walk in on what I did downstairs. Let's just say 'heated exchange' and 'throes of passion' are two very applicable descriptions. If the Fire Marshal had walked in behind me, he would have been handing out citations left and right!"

A crooked little smile crept onto Renee's face and I could tell she was trying to hold back a full-fledged grin. No one was more excited than Renee about this wedding, and I could tell every time we talked about it how happy she was for Bella, for Nessie, and Edward.

"Oh my, well then yes, let's get this ball rolling."

Somehow this little wedding that Renee and Esme, and now yours truly, were planning for just family and close friends was getting bigger and bigger everyday. There was so much to be done, and I was loving every minute of it. We linked arms and headed back to the downtown shops.

**?POV**

I had a few more calls to make in order to set my plan into motion. I was secretly thrilled thinking about the chaos this would cause to the restaurant.

First on the list was Mr. Alistair Stapleton, he was a renowned international food critic that just happened to be in town for a few days. I knew it was a long shot, but I had a feeling he wouldn't want to miss this for the world.

I dialed the number my contact had given me and waited patiently. I explained the activities planned for the evening and much to my delight, Mr. Stapleton wholeheartedly agreed he would not want to miss such an eventful evening. Though he didn't promise any articles, just his presence would be enough.

I continued through my Rolodex tipping everyone off to the evenings activities as well, this arrogant, pathetic excuse of a chef was going down in a big way. No one crosses me.

**BPOV**

I was left breathless and thoroughly disheveled after Edward's impromptu visit to the kitchen. We'd been engaged for less than 24 hours and I wasn't sure how much longer my resolve would hold up. We couldn't keep our hands off of each other and at this point I really didn't want to anymore.

I had been looking up flights to Vegas but got side tracked with the memory of Edwards fingers intertwined with mine, the total abandon in his eyes, the smell of sawdust and soap on his neck, the strength in his arms...When Jasper came into the kitchen whistling a very cheerful tune, I nearly fell out of my chair crashing back down from my day dream.

I poked my head out of my office and narrowed my gaze in his direction. Oblivious to my irritation, he stuffed his few belongings into a locker and pulled on his whites. _Oh yeah, reality, why couldn't I just live on planet Edward and never be interrupted?_

"So Jazz who put the honey in your grits?" He looked happier than usual.

He smiled widely and shrugged. "Can't a man just be in a good mood?"

"Of course, but you're whistling Zip a Dee Doo Dah, that's a little bit more than 'just a good mood' wouldn't you say?"

"Well, it is a wonderful day. I'm just feeling happy." He winked and set to work on his prep for the day.

I suppose I really couldn't tease him too much about being in such a good mood, seeing as how I've had a perma-grin attached to my face for the last eighteen hours.

"So are we doing the calamari tonight?" Jasper asked. It was one of the many on our list of new recipes to try. We'd been working with Rosalie and the rest of the front-of-house staff, on getting customers opinions and culling the least favorite dishes off the menu to make room for new ones.

"Mmm yeah, they didn't have anything super fresh at the fish market, but the supplier was able to track down some flash frozen calamari from Monterey. They clean, trim and freeze them right on the boat, so it's the closest thing to fresh." I pulled out the bin from the walk in and Jasper took his time inspecting the little white squid.

"They look good, don't have too strong of a fishy odor either. This should be tasty."

We worked quietly side by side, every now and then Jasper would have a little bout of musical Tourettes and start whistling again. Something was up with him, and I knew just the person to ask.

As we neared closer to service time Alice and Ness came into the kitchen, coordinating outfits as usual and waited for our staff meeting. Alice glanced over at me and grinned, she looked especially bubbly as well. I wiped my hands on the white cotton towel looped through my apron and walked slowly into my office.

I caught Alice's attention and crooked my finger inviting her to follow me. She whispered something to Nessie and bounced past the lockers into the seat in front of my desk.

I placed my palms flat on the desk and leaned forward with narrowed eyes. "What's up with you and Jasper? You're both shooting sunshine and cotton candy all over the place." She just continued to smile and shook her head at me.

"You're one to talk Bells. Jasper and just had a really good talk last night, that's all."

"That's it?" I was skeptical, Alice was always scheming.

"Well, that and I found a killer deal on the perfect pair of shoes for you to wear for the wedding!"

I chuckled in mock derision, "Only you could be that excited about shoes Alice."

We exited my office and everyone gathered for our pre-service meeting. I gave my usual spiel with the addition of my newly minted engagement. Everyone congratulated me and Nessie and before we knew it, customers were waiting at the door. It was cute to watch Ness and Alice shift into professional mode.

I was going to have to figure out a way to give Alice a huge bonus, she was really helping out with Nessie a lot. Ever since opening _Tapas_, one of my biggest fears was that I wouldn't be there for Nessie, but Alice had a way of keeping us all together, and I really loved her for that.

I peeked through the window of the kitchen door and watched as Nessie skillfully led a group of 4 to their table, distributed the menus, rattled off the newest dishes and finished with a brilliant smile. Alice had really taught her well.

Several hours later Alice came into the kitchen with a funny smile on her face.

"Bella, there's a table that is requesting an audience with the Chef." Her tone was neutral, passive almost, but her expression was wry. _Scheming._

"Is there a problem?"

"Not that I'm aware, but they seemed rather insistent that they speak with you."

I shrugged and pulled the towel out of my apron, setting it on the counter next to my station. "Lead the way," I motioned for Alice to show me to the table.

I scanned the room quickly and immediately zeroed in on a statuesque strawberry blonde woman seated at a private table in the corner, laughing heartily with her hand on _MY _Edward's shoulder. For a split second jealousy and sadness and anger raced through my body but was quickly replaced with anxiety.

I cursed myself when I realized that I'd mistaken Tanya as a threat to my relationship. Again. Though before I didn't even have a relationship. I had made so many ridiculous assumptions about her in regards to Edward, and this was the first time since then that I'd had any contact with her. Had Edward told her what I had assumed? In my haste to forget that embarrassing situation, we'd never discussed Tanya beyond what Edward had explained to me about her growing up with his family.

My heart pounded as I tried to decide whether or not to just run back into the kitchen or face the music. Edward hadn't seen me yet, so I could still escape. I was seconds away from turning around when his face lit up and he smiled widely, beckoning me over to the table. As I got closer to the table I realized that they were not alone, a dark haired man with a sleek goatee sat next to Edward and two children about Nessie's age sat between Tanya and who I assumed was her husband.

"Bella," called out Edward, "I want you to meet my cousin Tanya and her husband Demetri." I extended my hand willing it to stop trembling and shook both of their hands.

"It's so good to see you again Bella! I hear congratulations are in order?" Tanya's face was illuminated with a genuine and disarming smile. "I've been dying to get to know the woman who was willing to chip through Edwards crusty and I must say often stinky exterior to find out he is the biggest sweetheart in the world." I couldn't help but feel like she really was happy for us. But then why wouldn't she be? She was the closest thing Edward had to a sister, she should be happy for him, for us. I relaxed a bit at that thought and shifted into my confident Chef mode.

"Yes, thank you, it's good to see you too, especially since I'm not crashing into you this time!" I chuckled and turned to the man, "And it's a pleasure to meet you Demetri. Are you all enjoying the food?"

"It's perfect as usual Bella, you continue to out-do yourself," Edward reached out and picked up my hand pulling me to his side.

"Well, I'm glad everyone is enjoying their meal."

"Bella, we are all so happy that you are going to be a part of the family, and even happier I must say to have Nessie, what a mature and self-assured child. She reminds me of someone I used to know." She jabbed Edward in the ribs playfully. I realized in this moment that Nessie had more than a biological father, and grandparents. She had a whole new world of cousins, and aunts, and uncles. This was going to be a lot to get used to.

We chatted for a little while longer. The dining room was winding down for the night, so there wasn't a huge rush to get back into the kitchen. Once the meal was done, Edward said goodbye to Tanya and her family and wrapped his arm around Nessie.

"I'll see you after close right?" he smiled warmly at me.

"Of course, shouldn't take too long." I leaned over and gave him a quick peck on the lips.

"Love you Bella."

"Love you too."

I pushed back into the kitchen and seemed to land in the middle of some strange game of one-up-manship about kitchen injuries. I wondered if anyone could top my attempt at slicing my finger off earlier in the summer.

"Jasper, that does not even compare to having a 200 pound ice sculpture smash your hand into the side of the sink. I couldn't hold a knife for weeks," Kate complained. I could definitely beat that.

"How about slipping on a spot of ketchup with a tray-full of meals, landing flat on my back while the meals flew all over their intended recipients? We're talking cream sauce, spaghetti sauce, and ravioli's everywhere. And I ended up in a back brace for 6 weeks." I cringed, reliving one of my most embarrassing moments in my brief stint as a server. I had the utmost respect for what Rosalie and the other gals did every night.

"Yeah, I think that one takes it," chuckled Eli.

We cleaned up and closed everything down for the night. I caught Jessie on her way out and gave her a look asking if things were still going according to plan. I silently hoped and prayed she understood and that everything would fall into place. I just had to keep my wits together for a little while longer.

I trudged up to Edwards apartment and very nearly collapsed on the couch. I was drifting in and out of a semi-conscious state wrapped up in his embrace when he murmured, "stay with me tonight." Every nerve fiber in my entire body woke up and electrified at the thought.

"Believe me when I say I want to more than you know. I was looking up flights to Vegas. We could catch a red-eye on Sunday and come back Tuesday."

"Pfft, you deserve so much more than a Vegas wedding. I just can't stand walking away from you every night. And not just because I long for your body, but my heart doesn't feel right when you're not with me. I don't feel whole without you by my side."

"I know exactly what you mean Edward, I just..." I was warring with myself. The woman aching to lie next to the love of her life whispered, "what Ness doesn't know won't hurt her right?" We could behave ourselves, I could spend the night, set an alarm, and wake up in time to sneak back into the futon before she woke up. Is that the kind of Mom I wanted to be? Sneaking around?

But then the responsible, out-of-practice, self conscious woman spoke a little louder, "it's the principle of the matter, you are not a hypocrite and you're not stupid. Sleeping with him now will only lead to more than just closing your eyes and sawing logs." _I hate responsible girl right now._ I sighed defeated and frustrated beyond words, "I'm sorry Edward." He inhaled deeply, slowly, and exhaled in the same measured manner.

"I love you Bella. I just love you so much and I can't wait to show you in every way."

"Same here Mr. Cullen." Somehow Edward had maneuvered us to the front door and I reached up on my tip toes while at the same time he lifted me up to properly kiss me goodnight. As our lips danced together sliding smoothly past one another, I felt transported back to my day dream. My fingers wove into his hair clutching handfuls, pulling gently, and scratching over his scalp. With each stroke of my hands a low moan passed from his lips to mine.

His grip around my waist tightened and shifted as he brought my legs up to wrap around his hips. The zings and pulsing electricity of the charged atmosphere urged us on until we were both panting with need. I almost didn't hear the soft footfalls of my mother as she made her way down the stairs.

"Good heavens, Alice was right. You two are about to set this place on fire, there's an extinguisher right here in the hallway if you need it. Night kids."

Edward chuckled at Renee's assessment of our current state of passion; I was a little more than mortified, and buried my head into Edward's shoulder groaning in embarrassment. _I can't believe my mother just caught us groping like a couple of teenagers._

"Come on Bella, I'll walk you upstairs, okay?" I had wrapped myself around him like a baby koala bear to its mother. Slowly I loosened my legs and slid back down to the floor, earning a quiet hiss from Edward. "Sorry," I mumbled.

We shared a less intense kiss at my door and Edward trudged back down to his apartment. _Forget Vegas, Justice of the Peace is sounding better and better._

**JamesPOV**

"Alors Zjessica, you 'ave been doing as we discussed no?"

"Yes, I have her complete trust. She doesn't suspect a thing."

"Very well, zat eez very good. You know your part in zee 'ole plan correct?"

She nodded. I would be glad to be rid of this beastly woman, her usefulness was coming quickly to an end.

"My _friend_ will be zere, 'e used to work for zee Department of Healss, so 'e will be very convincing. I will 'ave two vials, and you will 'ave zee last one. You must make sure to get it on zee right plate before it goes out zee door. Do you sink you can manage zat?"

"Consider it done. She won't know what hit her." Her mouth curled up into an evil smirk and she nodded one more time.

**

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A/N: Alice and Renee joining forces! Are you thrown again–Is Jessie good? Is she bad? Is there enough UST to sink a ship? Just so you guys know, I read and appreciate every single review! I'm so motivated when my inbox is crammed full! It makes me want to write faster and not put any of the characters in mortal peril. So hit that little button and review S'il Vous Plait! **

**Calamari with bacon and garlic oil**

Ingredients

* 8 ounces slab bacon, cut into lardons

* 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped

* 2 tablespoons olive oil

* 2 pounds fresh squid, cleaned and sliced into rings

* Salt and freshly ground pepper

* 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

* 1 tablespoon freshly chopped thyme leaves ( you could sub sweet basil here too)

Directions

Place the bacon in a medium saute pan over medium heat and cook until lightly golden brown and the fat has been rendered. Increase the heat to high and add the garlic, olive oil, and squid, and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook the squid for 2 to 3 minutes or until just cooked through. Stir in the herbs and serve.


	26. Boiling Over

**A/N: Another big chapter...Thanks again for all the wonderful reviews! I love hearing from all of you! I apologize if I missed responding to your review, but know that I've read every single one. They just all piled up on me and I don't think I got to them all!**

**Thanks to Sweetthunder for her wicked beta skills!**

* * *

**Tapas at Twilight  
Chapter 25: Boiling Over**

**EPOV**

As I swallowed, I could feel my Adam's apple strain against the Windsor knot of my old silk tie. I wiggled it from side to side trying to find a comfortable level of tightness. I was more nervous today than I had been as a fourth year med student waiting for my residency match letters to come back.

Funerals and interviews were the only times I wore a suit, well that and my one fancy date with Bella, and I'll probably wear one at the wedding. Never mind-forget that, why was I even thinking about that? I needed to concentrate. Today was a critically important day to our future, requiring me to dust off my pin stripes, and I was ready to throw up or hide under my bed. Not exactly positive or constructive feelings, my therapist would tell me to visualize the day, to take a deep breath. But my therapist isn't the one wearing the monkey suit.

A knock sounded at my door and I quickly checked the time,_ probably Bella on her way down to work_.

When I opened the door, sure enough, Bella was standing there with a glowing smile. "Hey there handso...WOW! Handsome doesn't even come close. Where are you off to all dressed up?" She brushed her soft hand over my unusually smooth jaw, gliding her hands down to straighten my lapels. I had grown accustomed to keeping a bit of scruff on my chin and it was an oddly soothing sensation to feel her caresses on my stubble-free face.

I pulled her into my apartment and wrapped my arms around her. She was my anchor point and I needed to feel grounded. I hadn't realized just how out of sorts I was until I felt myself calming, simply by having her near. I kissed her, desperately trying to dispel all of the stress that had built up in me.

She returned my kiss with an equal amount of pressure and passion, absorbing my worry and transferring her calming love back to me. When we broke apart she had a slightly worried look on her face. She had no idea why I was so stressed, mostly because I hadn't told her about my appointment today. I was keeping a lot of secrets again and that hadn't worked out so well before. Maybe I should bring that up with my therapist.

"Hey," she cooed, "hey what's going on?" She took my hand and led me to the couch, curling up next to me.

"I've got an appointment today, and I'm just...nervous." Nervous, worried, scared, paralyzed, I could go on and on.

"Well, I could guess that much, but why are you nervous? What is the appointment for?"

She needed to know, I probably should've told her a lot sooner than now, but I wasn't sure if I was even going to try to return to the medical field. This was going to affect us all and I needed her support. I blew out a shaky breath.

"I have an interview with the associate dean at the UIC School of Medicine. I wanted to see if there was a way I could finish my residency and get back into the swing of things so to speak."

She stared at me gaping, her mouth hanging open in what I could only guess was complete shock. After a moment though I could see the shining in her eyes and her trembling lips turning up in a smile.

"Really?" she whispered.

"Yeah, I just...it's been so long, I have no idea if they'll take me or what. Ever since Nessie's accident, even before that though–when you sliced your finger, that feeling, that desire to help people that pushed me into medicine in the first place has been fighting it's way forward. In talking with my counselor and the faith you put in me, I just wanted to see if I could make it happen."

She grabbed my hand, squeezing hard. "I am so proud of you. We'll do whatever has to be done, go wherever you need to go, anything you need Edward."

And that was why I hadn't said anything up until now. Her restaurant was just getting started, she needed to be here in Chicago, a residency program could take me anywhere. There was no guarantee that I'd be able to stay in Illinois even. I was lucky the first time around that I got my first choice of hospitals, now though, I'd probably be bottom of the barrel and get lucky to be placed anywhere, if I got placed at all. How could I ask her to leave _Tapas_? And how could I ask Nessie to move? She would have to start over from scratch too.

"Bella," I sighed. I didn't want to have this argument right now, she had a big night, I had a big afternoon, the last thing we needed was to fight about theoretical logistics. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it Sugar." I pecked her on the lips and tried to put on my most confident smile.

"Besides, they might just tell me to take a hike." I chuckled, self- deprecatingly.

"They'd be crazy if they did." She smoothed my tie and patted her hand over my heart. "So when is your appointment?"

"At 1:30, I wanted to get there early though of course. But I'll be back in time for tonight." I threw in a little Schwarzenegger accent to lighten the mood. Bella looked up at me with so much pride and confidence. What had I ever done to deserve her? I covered her hand with my own and gave it a squeeze. Tonight was going to be interesting to say the least. "Is everything set?"

"Yeah, I think so. Big Daddy's got all his stuff ready, and here's a huge shocker," she said sarcastically, "did you know he's not even French?"

"Seriously?"

"No, he was born near Baton Rouge Louisiana. That stupid accent was fake the whole time! What an idiot!"

"He really is a pathetic shmuck. We're you able to get a hold of my Dad's friend?"

"Alistair, oh yeah. He was practically foaming at the mouth to see this go down. He went on for like 10 minutes about how much he hates pretentious fakes like James."

"Well, this will certainly be exciting. I can't wait to see how things play out, now you go get ready for battle, make delicious food and I'll be there when you open."

She leaned over and kissed me softly, sapping out the last of my fear and instilling in me a quiet confidence that I'd been lacking up until now. She filled up every one of my gaps and I couldn't imagine my life without her.

"I'm so proud of you Edward. I love you."

"I love you too Bella, I wouldn't have the strength to do this without you."

We walked to the door and shared one more kiss before she turned to head downstairs.

"Bella?"

"Hmm?" She turned around with a raised eyebrow.

I was down on one knee with a black box. She looked a little shocked and confused.

"Go on open it." She took the box from my hand and gasped when she saw a huge diamond, well a fake diamond, it was about the size of a golf ball.

"What is this?" When she reached in and pulled it out, a silver key dangled from the ring attached to the diamond.

I leaned forward and whispered into her ear. "Don't knock anymore okay? This is _our_ home now."

She ducked her head and smiled shyly, accepting the key. "Thank you Edward and good luck today. If they see even a half of the man that I know, they'll accept you in a heartbeat."

"Love you Bella, see you tonight." She waved as she walked slowly down the stairs, holding the key chain and chuckling to herself. I had to smile as I watched her bring the key up to her lips and give it a little kiss before pocketing it. I was anchored and felt a surge of strength and knew that no matter what the outcome, I would have her by my side.

**BPOV**

"What's got you lit up like a tree on Christmas day?" Jasper asked after I pulled my hand out of my pocket. I had been fingering the key that Edward gave me all day long, like it would disappear if I didn't check it every 15 minutes.

"Nothing, well...Edward gave me a key to his apartment." He threw a knowing grin my way and responded.

"Ah well that makes sense then. So do we have all our ducks in a row for tonight?"

"As far as I know. When Rosalie gets here, the three of us can go over final details, but I think we're ready. And yes, we literally have the ducks in a row in the fridge, the Duck Confit was a hit and I think having a french dish featured tonight should be especially entertaining. Don't you?"

"Mais oui, Bella."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Like any other Friday night, _Tapas_ was busy. Even more so because of all the people I'd called. Tyler was sitting with a small group, some of which I recognized from _Le Provençale_, he gave me a wave and a smile as I made a pass through the dining room.

Emmett caught my eye and gave me a big thumbs up ; he, Big Daddy, and Edward were already enjoying some southwestern egg rolls. I shifted my gaze to Edward and tried to ask with my eyes how everything went. He smiled but gave no indication one way or the other how his meeting turned out.

Alice gestured to me as she was leading a distinguished looking gentleman to a small table near the front window. It was the best seat in the house and would be prime observation real estate.

"Mr. Stapleton, welcome to _Tapas at Twilight_."

"Ah Ms. Swan I presume?" He put his hand out and shook mine lightly.

"Yes, I'm so glad you were able to carve out a bit of time to come this evening."

He nodded, "Carlisle patched me up, so I owed him one, but to be honest I've been waiting for James Beaufort to have his comeuppance. He never deserved 3 Michelin stars. We're you working there when he got the rating?"

"As a matter of fact, yes I was."

"Well, if your food is as good as Carlisle says, then that would explain the rating. I may have to get the board to go and reevaluate his place. Those stars are not to be taken lightly."

I heard Rosalie come up behind me and stepped to the side a bit. "Mr. Stapleton, this is Rosalie, she is one of the best servers you will ever have the pleasure of meeting. We will be sending out a tasting of our most popular dishes. Please enjoy your meal." He inclined his head in thanks and began listening to Rosalie's suggested drink pairings.

I left the table and headed back into the kitchen smiling the whole way. James really shouldn't have messed with me.

I dove on to the line and began tackling the orders that had started to pile up. I personally put together Mr. Stapleton's platter and sent it out. Again our rhythm was inspiring and the whole kitchen hummed with positive energy. At 7 o'clock Ness came running into the kitchen whisper-yelling, "they're here!"

My body tensed momentarily and I took a glance at Jessie, who'd stopped washing for a moment to glance over at me. We both nodded; it was go time.

"Ness, make sure they're seated in Rosalie's section okay?"

"Gotcha!" Nessie marched out of the kitchen straight and tall, like a little soldier heading into battle. Is it weird that I really wanted to take a picture of her right then?

**JamesPOV**

We arrived at the little dive and had to wait more than fifteen minutes for our table. So unacceptable. As I looked around I couldn't for the life of me figure out how this place had become so successful. I was lucky that I hadn't been mugged on the street in this neighborhood.

It was risky to leave my own restaurant in the hands of Felix and Laurent for a couple of hours, but I had to see this done in person. It had become obvious that with out my supervision nothing got done right.

"Welcome to _Tapas at Twilight_," said a snotty little girl. "How many in your party?"

"That's Swans brat," Victoria hissed in my ear.

"Two, and we want a good table."

She nodded and I thought I heard a 'humpf'. Impossible. Not only was she using her brat child as a hostess, but she's not even trained to be professional. This was going to be easier than I thought.

We were seated near the front window but closer towards the middle of the room, not a bad seat, some stodgy old man was hogging up the best seat in the house. Such a waste of a good table for some cranky local that wouldn't tip for anything.

The rude little pipsqueak put our menus down and rattled off a few of the menu specials. A Duck Confit was the star tonight, not easy to get right, and a bad confit would just be the cherry on top of my sundae this evening. The brat introduced our server and marched away grumbling.

I glanced up at a striking woman with severe features, her blonde hair tightly wound into a complicated mess. She looked at me and then at Victoria with a good measure of disdain in her eyes. I knew that look well, it had taken me years to perfect the expression that true Frenchmen are born with.

"Good evening, my name is Rosalie and I will be your server tonight. Can I start you with some sparkling water?" She was cool and articulate, I had to give her that. She seemed competent enough, but there had to be a way to fluster her a bit. We placed our drink orders and began to peruse the menu.

Changing suppliers must have allowed her a greater range of options. There were several dishes that would require top notch ingredients to execute properly. I may not have an original bone in my body but I know good cuisine, I did manage to graduate culinary school.

When Rosalie returned with our glasses, I gave Victoria a small nod. When the drinks were set on the table Victoria picked up her glass by the long stem, swirled it around and gave it a sniff. She took a delicate sip and immediately soured her face.

"What is this swill? I asked for Pinot Noir, not sewer water." Her voice was raised and in the small space carried through the entire room. The blonde woman narrowed her eyes as her lips pulled into a taught line.

"This is our best house wine, I do apologize if it is not to your liking. Would you like to try the Merlot?" She could barely say the words for how tightly her lips were pressed together. It was my turn now.

"Don't bozsure wis' zee Merlot, eet iz no good eezsure. Just bring two glasses of water, zat will be all." I waved my hand dismissively and I swear she turned tomato red with fury. Surprisingly, all she did was tip her head and quickly remove the two glasses from the table. Victoria tried to keep her smile down, but it was hard for her. She loved playing games like these, we both did.

**BPOV**

The kitchen doors came crashing open and a gloriously furious Rosalie came bursting into the prep area.

"I'm gonna kill him. I'm gonna break his nose, slap the smug grin off his face, and then kill him again."

I set my knife down and brushed my hands off. I walked around to where Rose was seething and grabbed hold of her arms facing her squarely.

"Rose, he's a pompous jackass. I promise you can kill him once every person in that room sees what he's trying to do. Once we expose his little "_friends_", I promise you can have free reign."

She nodded and dumped the wine out into the sink before grabbing two water glasses. She had that look on her face and I knew what she was thinking.

"Don't. We're better than him." She nodded and filled up the glasses with tap water. As she walked past me I whispered low, "At least wait until it's not something transparent before you spit in it." A wicked smile stole quickly across her face before she headed back into the dining room.

A few minutes later she came back in with James and Victoria's order. "I swear if that fool tries to pawn off that phony accent on me anymore I'm going to scream. And he better try to keep his eyes off my chest next time I lean over to put something on the table. Emmett has a perfect view of him and I won't even try to stop him!"

"It is pretty bad huh?" I chuckled, along with everyone in the kitchen. We'd all taken turns listening at the door to James spouting off with his ridiculous accent to anyone within earshot. He made all sorts of lame comments about the décor, which of course sent Alice into a frenzy. She was pacing back and forth ready to jump on board Rosalie's train. And if Emmet were any closer to the fire detector I'm sure all of the sprinklers would go off.

Kate got to work on prepping the potato croquetas while I whipped up the saffron alioli sauce to accompany the little fritters. Jasper began steaming the pork pot stickers, plated the Duck Confit, and before I knew it, their dish was ready to be served.

Jessica came shuffling over to the service area wiping her hands on the towel draped over her shoulder. She looked at me and smiled, reaching into her pocket to pull out a medium sized glass vial. I reached out and accepted the tube from her holding it up between my thumb and index finger.

The fat brown insect flicked it's antennae and tried to crawl up the side of the glass. A violent shudder tore through me as I thought about what would happen if one of these buggers got loose for real.

I pocketed the creepy crawly and stood by the door as Rosalie carried their order to the table. She sat down each dish and wished them a Bon Appétit, stepping away from the table, but not out of their line of sight. They knew she was watching them, and I could tell by his body language, that James was very uncomfortable. He glanced towards the kitchen door where Jessica was supposed to give him her signal. She nodded and James seemed to be more at ease.

I decided now would be a good time to make my entrance into this little skit we were playing. I strode confidently to the table where my former employer sat. He was pushing the croquetas around on his plate and sneering in disgust. Victoria hadn't touched her pot stickers yet either.

"James, Victoria! How nice of you to join us tonight. I hope_ Le Provençale_ is in good hands. Yes?"

"_Le Provençale_ is in perfectly capable 'ands. Much more zan I can say for zis place. Really Bella, what do you call...ah yes. You are serving tater tots and Chinese take-out food? Such a waste, Bella, tk tk tk. You could 'ave been so much more 'ad you stayed wis me." He looked down at his dish and around the table, probably waiting for Mr. Cucaracha to come scurrying out.

_Did he just click his tongue and wave his finger at me? Uh un, the gloves come off now._

"James, let's cut the crap. What are you doing here, really?" His eyes grew wide for a fraction of a moment betraying his external composure before returning to the haughty indifference he was trying to project.

"Bella, so forceful, zere eez no reason for such rudeness." He flicked his eyes around at the food on the plates and almost made a bend to look under the table.

"Aww James, so the French can dish it but they can't take it? But I guess I shouldn't expect anything from you since YOU AREN'T FRENCH." The restaurant was dead silent. Jasper had cut the music just in time and everyone was staring at us.

He spluttered and blustered barely managing an undignified harrumph. Standing up, he clenched his fists and nearly shouted, "I do not kneow what you are talking about! I was born in Verdun, not far from Luxembourg." He crossed his arms and gave me a nod like he'd just answered the question of the century, once again casting a nervous glance at the table.

"Ah yes, I do recall you saying that, however didn't you mean Verdun Louisiana? Just south of Baton Rouge? I could show you your high school year book from Woodlawn, in Baton Rouge, would that ring a bell?" I motioned for Big Daddy, who menacingly came sauntering up next to me holding a black year book opened to James Beaufort's picture as the drama club president. Plopping that on the table next to his plate made him jump. He also looked as white as a sheet as his carefully constructed façade began to crumble before his eyes.

By now the entire dining room had quieted, all eyes and ears riveted onto the interchange going on at center stage.

"So let's knock off the phony accent okay? Now why is it that you keep looking down at the table as though something is going to jump up and start dancing?" His eyes snapped up to mine but then quickly shifted to just behind me.

"Jessica?" he asked through gritted teeth.

I looked back over my shoulder and had to smile a little when she came up and placed a hand on my shoulder. "You made your bed, now lie in it."

I pulled the little bug out of my jacket and shook the vial in his face. "Is this what you're looking for James? I guess since buying off my suppliers wasn't working, you got a little desperate no?"

I could see the panic flashing across his face, but it was Victoria's shrill voice screaming, "Roach! There's a roach in here. Marty, do something!"

Jasper stepped up next to me and growled, "Who the heck is Marty?"

"Marty is the health inspector I called, knowing the kind of trashy place you guys are running here. I figured someone official ought to see this kind of filth first hand," quipped James in a completely unaffected American accent.

I heard a slight commotion from the far side of the room as a portly man was being dragged over to James' table by the collar of his shirt.

"Oh you mean Marty, the ex-health inspector, fired for taking too many bribes from scum like you?" Said Mr. Jenks, the real representative from the health department.

"Thanks for being here Mr. Jenks, I really appreciate the help. I think if you check the pockets of his coat you'll find two more insects." Jenks patten the breast pocket of James' suit coat and found the other two vials.

James sunk down into his chair and rested his face in his hands, completely defeated. "How?"

"Because I know a guy," bellowed Emmett from behind James, causing him to jump in surprise.

"Yeah, he knows a guy," echoed Big Daddy, both of them standing with legs spread shoulder width and arms crossed menacingly over their chests.

"And Rosalie is his girlfriend," Big Daddy jerked a thumb in Emmett's direction. James let out a pitiful squeak and I'm pretty sure he would need a clean pair of pants after this encounter.

"James, you overlooked Jessica, and didn't give her enough credit. She's a good person in a bad situation and you took advantage of her. I value her work and I'm more than grateful for what she's done to make her initial agreement to work for you null and void."

The jerk was done for and he knew it. Victoria shrieked and lunged for James clawing at his neck. Emmett reached over and pinned one arm to her side while she thrashed the other wildly, screaming, "you said this was fool proof you idiot. You stupid fraud, you're not even French. Tyler was right, Bella can out-cook you any day of the week, you sorry piece of..." Rosalie shoved a wadded up napkin into Victoria's gaping mouth effectively shutting her up.

"Darn right she can," piped up Tyler from the background, "this was awesome Bella, I'm glad you called me."

"How dare you! Who else did you call?" James asked venomously.

"Every blogger, foodie and friend I could think of. In fact, I'd like for you to meet Mr. Alistair Stapleton, renowned international critic from Seattle."

Mr. Stapleton calmly arose from his perch by the window and glided over to the altercation. "Mr. Beaufort, enjoy your Michelin stars while you have them still; they won't be around much longer." He turned and smiled warmly at me, "This has been a truly enlightening evening Isabella, I'll be sure to send you copy of my article before it goes to print. The duck confit was perfection, I've never had better." His dry tone and disinterest only compounded his words and James audibly groaned.

"I'm ruined! You did this Bella; this is your fault."

I felt the strong arms of my own personal hero circle around me and warn in a low but decisive voice, "No James, you did this to yourself. I don't know what the police are going to do with you when they get here, but if you try anything to harm Bella, this restaurant, or anyone who works here, the legal ramifications will not be pretty."

"I got some cement and shovels," whispered Big Daddy, but he was cut off by a sharp jab in the ribs from Alice; she had her own plan.

"I will not stand around and be treated like this!" James howled as he was herded to the front door. Just as he reached it, Alice pulled out a large pot of soup from under the hostess stand and dumped it over his head. He stood there in shocked silence. In a second the whole restaurant erupted in laughter.

"Oh, I can't tell you how bad I've been wanting to do that!" Jasper ran over and twirled her around, placing a sound kiss on her lips.

Just then the front door opened and a pair of Chicago's finest walked in, inquiring about a disturbance. It was all the policemen could do not to laugh at James dripping in red soup. We talked at length with the officers trying to explain all of the things that James had done, we turned over copies of the video of Victoria paying off Newton and the audio of Jessica's meeting with James. We even got Mike to sign an affidavit that James had hired him, in exchange we promised if criminal charges were ever filed, we'd push for leniency on his behalf.

It was more than a little bit satisfying to see those two being hauled out in handcuffs, James covered in soup and Victoria looking like she might tear out his throat with her bare teeth. When the door finally shut the whole room burst into applause. I was overwhelmed not only by the show of support, but that I'd managed to get through the whole ordeal and not pass out. I gave everyone their meals for free and closed up shop a little earlier than normal, but because of the police activity, there wasn't really anyone else waiting to get in, so I didn't mind.

We got everything cleaned up and Edward and I walked up to his..._our_...apartment. I let that idea roll around in my head. Our apartment. Our home. I like it. And now that this whole James debacle is behind us, at least for the most part, I feel like I can finally move forward.

The only thing left to decide was Vegas or J.O.P?

* * *

**A/N: So did James get what was coming to him? And what about Edwards plans...I'd love to hear your thoughts, so please take a few seconds to hit that Review button!**

**Potato Croquetas with Saffron Alioli**

* 1 pound large boiling potatoes (about 2)  
* 3 large eggs  
* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley  
* 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives  
* 1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon  
* 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened  
* 1/2 teaspoon salt  
* 1/8 teaspoon black pepper  
* 3/4 cup all-purpose flour  
* 3/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs  
* About 4 cups olive oil (not extra-virgin) for frying

**Directions**

Peel potatoes and cut into 1-inch pieces. Cover with salted cold water by 1 inch in a 2-quart saucepan, then boil until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain in a colander. Force potatoes through ricer into a medium bowl and cool.

Lightly beat 1 egg in a small bowl with a fork. Add to cooled potatoes along with herbs, butter, salt, and pepper and stir just until combined.

Spoon tablespoons of potato mixture onto a tray, then lightly roll each into a ball between palms of your hands and return to tray.

Lightly beat remaining 2 eggs in a small bowl and set aside. Spread flour in a shallow bowl, then spread bread crumbs in another shallow bowl.

Working in 4 batches (of 6 or 7), roll balls in flour to coat, gently shaking off excess flour. Dip balls in egg, turning to coat and letting excess drip off, then roll in bread crumbs and return to tray. Chill, covered, 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 200̊F.

Heat 1 1/2 inches oil in a 3-quart pot until it registers 360̊F on thermometer. Working in 4 batches, fry croquetas, turning if necessary, until browned, about 1 1/2 minutes per batch. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain, then transfer to a baking pan and keep warm in oven while frying remaining croquetas. (Return oil to 360̊F between batches.)

**Saffron Alioli**  
* Pinch of saffron threads (about 8 crumbled)  
* 1/2 teaspoon hot water  
* 1/2 cup mayonnaise  
* 1 garlic clove, chopped  
* 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard  
* 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil  
* 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice  
* 1/4 teaspoon tomato paste  
* 1/8 teaspoon salt  
* 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

**Directions**

Put saffron threads in a small cup, then add hot water and let stand 5 minutes.

Purée saffron mixture with remaining ingredients in a mini food processor or a blender until smooth.


	27. Frosting

**A/N: You all continue to blow me away with your wonderful reviews! The support is awesome. Oh yeah, theres pictures n' stuff on my profile. Without further ado...**

**(Besides a quick thanks to Sweetthunder for being awesome, cause she totally rocked this chapter!)**

**

* * *

Tapas at Twilight**

**Chapter 26: Frosting**

**EPOV**

"Care to do the honors?" I asked, motioning to the lock on the door. Bella grinned and fished out the key I had given her earlier. She slid the key into the deadbolt with uncharacteristic fluidity and turned the lock. As I followed her into the apartment I couldn't help but think, _this is exactly where you belong. _I had spent years restoring and renovating this place, I just never knew it was for Bella. For our family…I wondered how long we would get to stay here.

"You know, you should have taken off the little _made in china_ sticker. Now that I know you're handing out fake diamonds…." She held out her hand and teasingly wiggled her ring finger in front of my face as I strode past her into the kitchen.

I poured us each a tall glass of cold water and returned to the living room where Bella had kicked off her clogs, let down her hair, and put her feet up on the coffee table. I handed her one of the glasses and settled myself next to her. Almost immediately she shifted her body so that her legs draped over my lap in our newly adopted "discussion position".

"Mmm, thanks, I really needed this." She lifted up the glass and drained half the contents. Once the glass was on the table, she rolled her head trying to loosen up her neck. "Remind me to outlaw any future soup dumping onto unsuspecting scum bags. It was definitely worth it but that was such a pain in the butt to clean up, and I never want to have to do that again."

"At least the walls are red, so if you missed any, no one's really going to notice. And besides, soon enough you'll be so successful you can have a staff dedicated to soup dumping and clean up." I chuckled remembering the look of a spluttering and cursing James. It was a good thing that Renee had already taken Ness upstairs because the words that came out of that man's mouth were foul enough to make a sailor blush.

"What can I say? I had to let Alice have some satisfaction too! She worked for him longer than I did. I'm just glad that whole thing is over. If I never see James Beaufort again, it will be too soon." She burrowed into the couch a bit further and pulled my hand into hers, massaging my palm with her fingers. "So Edward, how did your meeting go today?"

Ah, I had been waiting for this all evening. I didn't want to complicate things today during operation "Destroy the phony Frenchman" but I knew we were going to have to talk about it.

"It was interesting." I closed my eyes, resting my head on the back of the couch and brought my free hand up to rub the tension from between my eyebrows.

"_Interesting?_ That's all you're going to give me?"

"Well, let's just say I was reminded of my place on the medical totem pole, which at this point is just above 'candy striper' and even that's arguable according to the dean." I ran my hand through my hair thinking about how long this course correction would take.

"Oh come on Edward, you were Senior Resident! That has to count for something doesn't it?"

"You would think, but given my abrupt departure and the length of time I've been away from medicine, I might as well be fresh out of med school."

"So what does that mean then?"

"It means I'm going to be one of the oldest rookies in the hospital. Bedpans, here I come!" I chuckled dryly. "No, what it really means is that I'm going to have to start my residency from scratch, re-apply to several residency programs and hope that my transcripts, letters of recommendation, and letters from my therapist get me in the door somewhere. The dean was harsh, but really fair. I'm not the first doctor he's seen break down, but not many come back. He respected that." Bella sat there for a a few long seconds staring down at her hands, smoothing out her pants. I was beginning to get nervous.

"So when would you find out if we have to move?" I reached over and pulled her hands back into mine.

"Honestly Bella, that is the very last thing I want to do. I can't stand the thought of pulling you away from _Tapas_, or yanking Ness out of the Performing Arts academy. She has way too much talent to waste on public school in Alaska, which is probably the only place that will take me," I groaned.

"Then we'll just have to get used to a longer winter than we have now, and you could teach Nessie just about anything she'd need to be a successful pianist, if that's even what she wants to do. She's not even 11 yet, it's not like she has to start applying for college anytime soon,"

"But your dream Bella, I can't ask you to walk away from that."

"You don't have to ask. Wherever you are is where I am. Jasper can handle the restaurant, and it's not like we'd be gone indefinitely, this is our home Edward, we'll always come back here. Alaska could have potential though. I've heard you can see Russia from there." Her eyes were bright, looking for the positive in the potential situation.

I sighed and wrapped my arms around this beautiful, brave, amazing woman who just went to battle to defend her dream restaurant against villainous conspiracies and is now ready to walk away at a moments notice just for me. She is everything I need, exactly when I need it. I let go of her hand and squeezed her knee a little.

"Hey! That tickles. Cut it out!" She said as she batted my hand away. "What was that for?"

"I just had to make sure you're real. You are exactly my dream girl! Bella I don't deserve you, but I'm not gonna let you go. I can't do this without you. I have to know that you won't hate me or resent me if we end up having to leave for four years or more."

She turned her body to face mine, straddling my thighs and took my face in both of her hands. "Edward, I could never hate or resent you for something like this. You are meant to be a doctor, and it's a small sacrifice to make sure that dream comes true. Besides you already helped make my dream come true, now it's my turn. Don't begrudge me the same opportunity! Besides, the last time I checked people eat everywhere, I can cook anywhere we go. So I'll learn how to make a mooseburger eh? Or alligator bacon, whatever. I don't care where I am as long as you are there."

Once again she blew me away with her pure unselfish love. She never ceased to amaze me how much she was willing to give. I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her tightly to my chest, capturing her lips with mine.

"I love you Bella," came out in a strangled whisper between our lips. She threaded her fingers through my hair and pulled me far enough away so that I could see her clearly.

"I love you too Edward, so much," she said as she pulled me back to her. We were a perfect match; her lips fit mine and our hearts were permanently knit together. A pack of wolves couldn't tear me away from her.

**BPOV**

I was sitting in my office logging in to my email account as Jasper strolled by. One of my newest messages jumped out at me and I had to have Jasper with me when I read it.

"Jazz, come here, I just got an email from Alistair."

"No kidding, this soon? It's only been what, a week and a half?"

"I guess he was inspired." I clicked on the attachment and began reading. We were both nearly in tears by the end of the article from line after line of dry humor. Alistair had the most scathing wit I'd ever read in a food critic.

"I think my favorite part was when he called James 'supremely uninspired and lacking a shred of innovation'," Jasper wheezed out.

"No, no, it's 'Chef Beaufort has managed to sink below Rice-a-Roni, and give a new burst of excitement to Hamburger helper, both options I would prefers… anyggh...tonenne…." I was snorting and laughing so hard I had lost the ability to speak.

"Hey guys what's so funny?" Alice popped in with a glowing smile and a quick kiss for Jasper.

We were both still laughing so hard I just turned my laptop screen so that she could read the article. Her phone began beeping with a text message and for the next couple of minutes she was tapping swiftly on her Blackberry. I still had no idea how people's thumbs can move that quickly. When she was finished she looked up with a dreamy grin on her face. I was finally able to pull it together. The success of that night kept right on giving and giving.

"So what are you guys up to tomorrow?" I asked my bubbly friend.

"I'm going to go get prep started," Jasper stated as he stood up.

"I'll be right out Jazz okay?" I didn't want to saddle him with all the work.

"No problem Bells, it's okay if you want to chat with Ali for a little while." With that he ducked out and got to work on carrots. Carrots were no longer on my list of approved produce to handle. Just seeing a carrot made me cringe and sent a little shock through my scarred finger up my arm. There was no way I was chopping carrots.

"So Alice, plans?"

"Oh you know, nothing big, Jazz and I were planning on a nice afternoon together."

Just then my phone began to sing the Plain White T's _1234_, "Hello handsome, how are you?" I waved to Alice as she stepped out of my office and closed the door.

"Hey beautiful, I'm good, you sound happy?"

"Oh it's nothing, just the article from Alistair. He emailed it to me; I have to forward it to you, it's hilarious."

"Sounds good. So I was wondering if maybe I could take my lovely fiancée out on a date, just us two?"

"Mmmm that sounds wonderful. What about Ness?"

"Ah, well she wants to take Amma to Dave n' Busters to see the scene of the crime." I chuckled when he said that. Ness had been begging to go back since our engagement.

"That sounds like fun, but we're not going with them?"

"No. I have other plans for us. We're grown ups after all, I want us to have a grown up date." I could practically hear him grinning through the phone.

"And you're not going to give me any hints at all are you?"

"Nope. Not a one. And before you ask, just wear something nice but casual. I'll pick you up at 11 okay?"

"So does that mean I shouldn't stop by after close tonight?" He snorted at that.

"Whoa, don't jump to conclusions! I fully expect a thorough good night kiss from you without exception." I grinned at his put-out tone of voice; I could hear the teasing behind it.

"Well, then I will make sure not to disappoint. I have to run, but I _will_ be seeing you later tonight."

"I can't wait. Love you my sexy chef."

"Love ya too, my hot doc."

**EPOV**

Once Bella had retired to her apartment, for the last time, though she didn't know that, I collapsed on the couch, grinning like an idiot.

Renee came in a few minutes later and locked the door behind her. She must have seen the ridiculous expression on my face because she started chuckling softly. She sat down on the overstuffed armchair next to the couch and let out a long sigh.

"Are you ready for this Edward?" She smiled genuinely at me.

"More than you can imagine." I raked my hands through my hair and leaned my elbows on to my knees. "Renee, I hope you know how much I love Bella and Nessie. They have become the two most important women in my life. I'll always take care of them."

"I think I know that Edward. But just so that he can continue to rest in peace, I have to say that if you hurt her, I'll be forced to shoot you with Charlie's shot gun."

We both laughed a bit but I was pretty sure she was serious. I felt certain, though, that I would never do anything to hurt Bella. I would welcome any and all retribution if I ever did anything to harm her or Ness.

"You've spoken with Alice today then?"

"Yeah, I texted her earlier this afternoon. Jasper has both our suits and Alice has all of the girly stuff, the venue does everything else, so it's all ready. I can't tell you how much it means that you and my Mother worked so hard on this."

She smiled and patted me on the shoulder making me feel like a little boy again, a little boy who was greatly loved. "We just want you both to be happy. Goodnight Edward."

"Night Renee." Once I heard the click of the guest room door, I turned off all the lights and headed to bed. I was tired, but too keyed up to fall asleep. In less than 24 hours, Bella would be my wife. I grabbed my noise-cancelling headphones and plugged into my digital piano.

I sat there for several hours honing and fine-tuning the composition I had written for my girls. It was soothing to pour out all of my emotions and nerves onto the keys of the piano. The notes just seemed to tumble out and the more I played them the sweeter they became.

After running through it a few times I was ready to record it. I input the settings and connected my laptop to the port on the piano and began to play. I thought about my uncertainty in the very beginning, about how she was the only woman to ever make me feel the way I did. I thought about Ness and how amazing and sweet and funny she was. Our time together as a "sort of" family and the fun we'd had at the pier flitted through my thoughts, and as we grew closer, as Bella and I got to know each other better, the melody intensified, making it's climax when we found out that I was Renesmee's father. I poured all of my feelings into this recording and smiled as the gentle melody slowed and came to a quiet resolution, leaving the promise of more to come.

I stopped the recording and wiped my cheeks with the back of my hand. I hoped she would love it, that they both would. I wrote it for them. With my emotions completely spent I crawled into bed and quickly drifted of to sleep knowing my dreams were about to become my reality.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I awoke the next morning to the sounds of voices coming from the kitchen. I glanced at the clock on my night stand and groaned when I saw it read 7:17. _Too early. _I pulled on an old T-shirt and a pair of basketball shorts and stumbled out of my room with one eye open. 4 hours of sleep was not enough.

"Daddy you're awake!" I don't think I would ever get tired of hearing her call me that.

"Morning Princess, how are you?"

"Do you know why chefs are so mean?"

"Because they beat the eggs and whip the cream?"

"No, because they dump soup on jerks!" Hahahah, we all burst out laughing, which doesn't sound so great when we all have morning voices.

"She's been working on that one for about 2 weeks now!" Bella said.

"What's that fantastic smell?"

"Mom is making French toast and I'm pouring chocolate syrup on mine."

"Mmm sounds delicious. Hey there Love, how are you today?" I circled my arms around Bella's waist and rested my chin on her shoulder. She stopped beating the eggs in front of her and turned in my arms.

"I'm perfect. How are you? Didn't you sleep well?" She stroked the side of my face and ran her thumb under my sleepy eyes.

"I'll be fine, I was just missing you last night." I leaned down and pressed my lips softly to hers. She hummed in delight and began moving her lips at the same slow pace that I had set. I wanted her to feel just how much I cherished and loved her.

I traded back and forth with her until my lips settled back to their favorite spot suckling her bottom lip. It was so plump and delicious, I could stay there all day. We'd had lots more practice tuning out the giggles that our semi public displays of affection garnered. Usually Nessie would sneak away and begin playing the piano.

This time however, I heard a pair of sighs. Bella and I slowly broke apart, and turned to the source of the noise. Nessie and Renee were both sitting on stools at the breakfast bar with their chins propped up on their hands.

"Wuv," gushed Nessie.

"Twoo wuv, is what bwings us here to bweakfist today," answered Renee. _The Princess Bride_ was definitely a favorite in our family.

"I hope I have the same kind of thing when I get married," said Nessie, wistfully.

"Not until you're at least fifty young lady," I scolded quickly.

"Da-ddy, don't be ridiculous." She placed her hands on her hips and cocked her head to the side.

"Fine. Forty nine." She blew raspberries at me and started to clear her plate.

While we cleaned up breakfast, I sent Ness to the piano to practice. She had been slacking off this summer but school was starting up soon and she needed to get back into the habit.

After a half hour of running scales, she and Bella went up to get ready for the day. I pulled up the email from Alice with the detailed schedule. I'd already committed it to memory, but I needed something to do before I jumped in the shower.

I answered a quick phone call from my Mom; she and my father were beyond overjoyed and couldn't wait to see us this afternoon. After cleaning out my email, changing the sheets on my bed, vacuuming the carpet, and dusting the baby grand, I showered and got ready to start the rest of my life with Bella and Renesmee. I rolled up a gift for Bella, tied on a big bow and headed out the door.

I picked up Bella and gave Renee a wink on our way down the stairs. We'd be seeing both her and Ness in a couple of hours.

Lunch at the Firehouse was amazing. Bella had been craving a nice piece of steak and this fit the bill. It was even better when the hostess recognized Bella and the chefs all came out to shake her hand and say how much they all hated Beaufort. I tried to enjoy the atmosphere; I made every effort to keep the excitement off of my face, but I knew I was failing miserably.

"Edward, you seem really...I don't know. You're acting like Alice just before a door-buster sale."

How could I explain without giving it all away?

"I'm just really looking forward to the rest of our date, but I don't want to rush you." I had inhaled my food, barely enjoying the flavors. Bella on the other hand, savored each bite; she was only half done. I couldn't think of anything casual to say so I just stared at her while she ate. She finally put down her fork.

"Well, I'm feeling a bit full, so we can go whenever you're ready," she shrugged giving me a slightly weird look.

I put my finger up in the air signaling our waiter for the check. Once the bill was taken care of and we were on our way to the museum, the nerves started to seep back into my mannerisms. I was drumming my fingers on the steering wheel, when I wasn't shifting, my left leg was bobbing up and down like a jackhammer, and I couldn't keep my eyes off of Bella.

We pulled into the parking lot of the museum and I glanced again at my lovely almost-wife. She turned to me with a confused grimace on her face. "You're really that excited about the Nature Museum?"

"There's a really neat exhibit inside that I want you to see." I hopped out and ran to her side, opening the door of the Volvo for her. She took my hand and stepped out into the parking lot.

"Edward, why do I feel like you're not telling me something, you're acting a little odd right now, you know?" She started to look worried, so I placed a reassuring kiss on her lips, trying to rein in my own emotions that were quickly getting out of hand.

"I'm just jittery from not getting enough sleep but I'll be fine. C'mon, let's go inside." I checked my watch, noting that we were a little early, but that wasn't a bad thing. Alice told me the earlier we arrived, the more time she'd have to "work her magic", not that Bella wasn't already perfect just the way she was.

I paid for our entrance fee and we began to wander. We strolled through some hands on experiences where children were playing with a water system. The "birds of Chicago" exhibit I'm sure was fascinating, as was the "mysteries of the marsh" exhibit as well. Unfortunately, I couldn't focus on anything but the beautiful woman standing next to me.

Finally we were nearing our final destination. As we walked into the large green house we were surrounded by dozens of butterflies. The air was alive with a confetti parade of living fluttering creatures of every color imaginable.

Bella gasped as we walked to a small bench and sat down in the midst of the makeshift jungle.

"Edward this is beautiful." She looked all around in wonder, taking in all of the different kinds of butterflies that floated by. She held out her finger and waited patiently until a vibrant orange and yellow monarch perched on the tip of her finger. A moment later it was off again with the rest of its comrades.

It was finally time to jump in and get the surprise going. I just hoped that I could articulate what I wanted to say and not end up bumbling like an idiot.

"Bella, I was wondering if maybe we could talk." She stiffened slightly and angled her body toward me.

"What do you want to talk about? Did you find out about a residency?" Her voice was even and measured, though I detected a nervous tremor at the end.

"How long do you want to wait before we get married?" She blew out a long breath and closed her eyes.

"Not long. I pretty much look up flights to Vegas twice a day! The Bellagio has some really nice wedding packages you know. It wouldn't be like hitting the drive thru at Elvis's chapel of Love. We could even go down to the courthouse and meet with a Justice of the Peace. I really don't care, I just don't want to wait much longer to start our life together."

Music to my ears. I threaded my fingers through her hair and drew her towards me. "I love you Bella Swan, with all my heart, and I want nothing more than to marry you very soon." She smiled and met me halfway in a blistering kiss that set my body on fire. I let my forehead linger against hers as we broke from the kiss, a rueful smile playing on my lips.

I slid off the bench and got down on one knee causing Bella to giggle. She was probably expecting keys to a car or something like that again. "Edward! What are you doing? I already said yes." She pulled on my hands to coax me back up on the bench, but I wouldn't budge and then she tilted her head and looked into my eyes more earnestly.

"Bella I know you've agreed to marry me. My question though, is will you marry me today? Right now?"

"Now? Without Ness or our parents?"

"Of course not silly!" Alice appeared from around one of the corners. She was already dressed in a beautiful 50's inspired ivory wedding dress and looked radiant.

"Alice?! What is going on?"

"We're getting married today!"

"What do you mean _WE_? Alice what are you saying?"

"Jazz and I are getting married today too!" Alice thrust her ring finger forward showing a very large and shiny engagement ring.

"How did...I..." She was at a complete loss for words when I saw understanding dawn on her face.

"The Moms!" all three of us exclaimed at the same time, laughing.

"But when did you and Jasper...Hey! You never said anything!" Alice smiled and shrugged.

"Surprises are my specialty!"

Just then Jasper, Renee, Phil, Ness, Esme, and Carlisle came around the corner, dressed to the nine's ready for our wedding. They were all grinning widely.

"So Love, you never answered my question, will you marry me today?" She looked at everyone, then leaned over, kissed me soundly and smiled.

"Of course I will." I stood up and swung her around in a circle leaving kisses all over her cheeks.

"Come on, come on, we have to get you ready! The ceremony starts in an hour. Jazz? Carlisle? You've got Edward right?" She plucked Bella's hand from mine and bustled her off in the direction of the atrium and dressing room.

My father clapped me on the shoulder and asked, "You ready son?"

"Absolutely."

**BPOV**

Tears immediately sprang to my eyes when I saw the gown from the vintage shop hanging in the dressing room.

"Alice, you went back!"

"Of course I did! This dress was meant for you."

Nessie came over to me and hugged me around the waist. "I love you Mom. Isn't this awesome! This is going to be the best day ever." The tears kept streaming down my cheeks as I sniffled and wrapped my arms around my little girl. She was already put together in the beautiful dress we had gotten for her recitals, her hair was pulled up and you could see the necklace Edward had given her representing the three of us. And now we were about to be a complete family. In just minutes everything I never knew I could hope for was about to come true.

"How long have you known about this you little sneak?" I asked wiping my nose with a tissue that Alice had made magically appear in my hand.

"Just since this morning, Amma didn't want me to spill the beans. I was so excited I thought I would burst! I'm going to have a dad again."

"Well Amma was smart because you can keep a secret about as well as I can."

"Okay Swan, get all the tears out now, cause I don't want the make up ruined," Alice teased.

Esme and Renee came up and both hugged me at the same time. "We love you honey, and we just knew that you'd be too busy to deal with all of this. Forgive us for butting in?" Esme said sweetly. Like I would really be angry about this. Walking into a wedding without lifting a finger and no time to get antsy was my dream come true.

"Of course! There's nothing to forgive; this is perfect!"

"Good, now let's get to work!"

Before I knew it, my hair was curled and swept up, a choker of pearls threaded on a black ribbon was tied around my neck, the dress was zipped and the shoes were waiting patiently until the very last second. I wouldn't last very long in 4 inch heels, but Alice insisted they were absolutely necessary.

Alice brushed one last swipe of gloss over my lips and declared perfection. She touched up her own make up as I slipped into the shoes that were sure to be my demise. When I looked up I noticed how my very best friend was glowing.

"Alice, you look amazing! I'm so happy you're sharing this moment with me!"

"Oh, Bella. You are my sister! I love that we get to make such special memories of this day! Come on, let's go get hitched!"

We arrived at the door to the atrium and I was shocked by how many people were there. Everyone from _Tapas _was sitting in a group, Tanya and her family were there, even Jessica came with her daughter. Several other friends and associates were sprinkled throughout the groups and I was awed that all of these people were here for the four of us. The soft strains of Claire de Lune wafted through the air of the intimate outdoor surroundings.

Carlisle came and escorted Esme down the aisle to a seat up front. Phil came up next and whispered, "You look beautiful Bells". He then took my mother's hand and walked her down the aisle. Both Jasper and Alice's parents were deceased so the last of our party that needed an escort was Ness.

Jacob walked up, dressed in a smart little suit and a real tie, but he still had on his skater shoes. He came up to Ness and then turned to look at me. His smile was like the sun at noon day. "You look real pretty Ms. Swan, you too Miss Alice." Then he turned to Ness and pulled a little black box out of his pocket. My heart immediately caught in my throat. What in the world was he doing? He popped open the box and pulled out a little charm of a wolf.

"Since your mom always says I'm crazy like a wolf, maybe you could have a spot on that necklace for me?" Ness took the charm in her hand with the biggest smile I've ever seen on her. He offered his arm and then he then led Ness down the aisle and took a seat next to his father. That kid would never cease to amaze me.

The music then changed to a melody that was familiar but impossibly more complex and sweet than I'd ever heard before. Alice squeezed my hand and we started our walk down the aisle, clutching our pale peach nosegays. When my eyes locked with Edward's my heart began to beat like a hummingbird's wings. He was breathtaking in his white suit and light blue shirt. It was like he just stepped off of a runway. I spared a brief glance at Jasper who was equally dashing in a dove gray suit and plum colored tie. _Gosh our men were handsome. _ I was beginning to feel like I wasn't at my own wedding, but watching a wedding in a movie.

The music faded as we approached the officiator and both took our places next to our respective men. Edward's smile and touch, when he took my hand, was electrifying. I could hardly pay attention to the words the man in front of us was saying. I responded at the appropriate moments and repeated the words I was supposed to say but my mind was on a loop. Edward, this excruciatingly beautiful man was taking me as his wife, and I was accepting him as my husband. And I don't think I'd ever felt this level of wholeness in my life.

"By the power vested in me, by the state of Illinois I now pronounce you Jasper Whitlock and Alice Brandon, and you Edward Cullen and Isabella Swan, husbands and wives. You may now kiss your brides."

Edward grinned and leaned in slowly for our first kiss as husband and wife. He was sweet and gentle, but teasing and tempting at the same time. That man was every bit worth waiting for, and now he would light my fire for the rest of eternity.

The museum staff quickly broke up the rows of chairs and brought in large round tables for all of our guests while light piano music played over the sound system. Waiters roamed through the crowds passing out tapas and amuse bouches to everyone.

I plucked a tasty looking square of bread topped with small slices of brie and strawberry off of a tray and lifted it up to Jasper, who grinned widely at the irony of two tapas chefs being served tapas.

Once the tables were set, everyone settled down for a light dinner. Edward and I circulated around all of the tables and thanked our guests for coming. With that taken care of, we sat down and ate our own food. Emmett and Rose gave the toasts for both Edward and I as well as Alice and Jasper. Fortunately they kept their comments on the level. I had to smile though when Emmett raised his glass and we heard Big Daddy's thick Chicago accent, "Tuh da Brides and Grooms!"

The cake was probably the best part. Alice and Jasper went first and of course they were the daintiest, sweetest, most delicate cake-eaters around. Edward and I had not ever discussed the "shove/no shove" question, so we were in completely uncharted waters.

We each took our piece of cake and I looked lovingly into my husband's eyes. I twined my arm around his and placed the cake up to his lips. He brought his piece of cake up to my mouth and for a brief moment we were both frozen. I winked once, but felt the tiniest bit of pressure being exerted on my lips. _He was going to shove._ In a preemptive strike, I chomped his offered piece of cake, pulled my face back slightly and pressed my fingers full of confection firmly onto his mouth.

His eyes grew wide as he grasped my waist and mumbled a muffled, "Nuh uh." I held his shoulders trying not to get frosting on his white suit while he ravaged my mouth and spread the gooey cream all over my lips. We came apart giggling and licking our lips and fingers. He reached up to wipe a bit that I missed and I just couldn't resist turning slightly and catching his finger in my mouth.

As I let my tongue roll around the tip of his index finger until all of the frosting was gone, his eyes intensified and his breathing picked up. I gave him my most wicked smile as his finger dropped away from my lips. The hoots and cat calls finally started registering in my mind and I could feel the heat rising up into my cheeks.

"You are going to be the death of me Mrs. Cullen," he whispered close to my ear, sending a wave of goosebumps over my skin.

As the reception started to wind down, Edward brought me back to the table where our parents were sitting with Ness. When Edward looked over to his father and nodded, Carlisle produced a large scroll tied with a big bow.

Edward handed the scroll to me and said, "This is for you, well all three of us really."

I looked at the long tube of whitish-blue paper, holding it like it was a bomb that might explode at any moment.

"Go ahead and open it Bella, it's not going to bite," Esme said reassuringly.

I tugged on the ribbon and unrolled a set of blue-prints. Renee held down one corner while Carlisle held the other one down. It took me a few moments to realize what I was looking at.

"You really want to do this?" I asked Edward.

Esme had drawn up plans to turn the top floor apartment into a suite for Nessie, complete with a sound-proofed practice room. She added another staircase, connecting Edward's-_our_ apartment to the top floor, and remodeled the office on the second floor to make a work space for both Edward and me.

"Bella do you know how long I've been thinking about how to rearrange that building so that we never have to leave it?"

I threw my arms around him and kissed him for all I was worth. "I love you so much Edward!"

"I love you Bella Cullen, forever and always."

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**A/N: So there they are...all married up. Hope you liked the wedding and the super extra long chapter. We've got the epilogue left, and still have a couple of questions to answer...I would so appreciate hearing from EVERYONE! Just a few seconds to drop a review, would make my day!**

Epilogue TEASER is posted on the Twilighted . net forum thread. The link is on my profile--go check it out!

**French Toast**

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup milk

1 pinch salt

3 eggs

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon white sugar

12 thick slices bread (brioche, texas toast, or regular)

Directions

Measure flour into a large mixing bowl. Slowly whisk in the milk. Whisk in the salt, eggs, cinnamon, vanilla extract and sugar until smooth.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium heat.

Soak bread slices in mixture until saturated. Cook bread on each side until golden brown. Serve hot.


	28. Epilogue Just Desserts

**A/N: *Sniff* So this is the conclusion of my little story. I hope you like it, and I hope that you take a few seconds to leave a review! I have so appreciated and have loved every single comment! Thanks so much to everyone.**

**Big huge thanks to Sweetthunder for all her hard work, she really made this story readable.**

**I do have another story in the planning stages. Teaser is at the bottom, but lets just say you won't want to miss a gun toting, buckskin clad Edward. So make sure when you review to check the little box for author alert! There will also be a couple of outtakes for this story that I'll post in a little while. **

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Tapas at Twilight**

**Epilogue: Just Desserts**

**EPOV**

We hugged all of our family and friends goodbye, with an extra squeeze for Nessie, and left the reception through a tunnel of bubbles. I had made sure to park the car where Emmett wouldn't find it; I didn't want to spend half an hour cleaning whipped cream and toilet paper off the windshield! We had already changed into our traveling clothes and were now speeding towards O'Hare airport. We'd be cutting it close to make our flight, but I wasn't going to miss that flight for anything.

"So where are we going Mr. Cullen? And I'm assuming you've made arrangements for the restaurant?"

"Well, Mrs. Cullen, I'm not telling, and of course I have. Since Alice decided on the double wedding at the last minute, she and Jasper offered to take their honey moon a week after we get back. Besides, they don't need a honeymoon as much as we do."

"I definitely agree, you know I hate fast driving, but really, can't this car go any faster?" _That's my girl Bella._

"So I guess she packed my bag too huh?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No, your Mom took care of that."

"Oh no. I can only imagine what she put in there. Well, I guess she was the lesser of the two evils."

"She let me look through it and give my stamp of approval. I had no objections, though I don't expect you'll need to worry about clothes that much anyways." I responded coolly, with a waggle of my eyebrows.

We parked the car in the long term lot and took the shuttle to the terminal. I wouldn't let Bella handle the suitcase at all for fear that she'd try and open it up and discover where we were going. It was cliché, but since she didn't have a current passport, we had to stay in the states.

She let out an Alice worthy squeal once we arrived at the gate and she saw the destination placard. "Hawaii?! We're going to Hawaii?" She was bubbling over with excitement and I was relieved that I wouldn't have to convince her or resort to more underhanded tactics like dazzling her, though I would probably be doing a little of that anyhow.

"I'm glad you're excited. I know you said you'd never been before, so I thought maybe we could go and enjoy these first few days alone together in paradise."

"You are the most wonderful husband a woman could ask for. I love you Edward," she leaned over and kissed me softly. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the softness of her lips and the gentle hum of electricity that passed between us. The loud speaker then crackled to life and they announced boarding would begin shortly.

Once we'd boarded and settled into our first class accommodations, Bella gave me a little scowl. "I can't believe you got first class seats!" she complained.

"Hey sweetheart, these were more for me than you. I need the leg room, but once you fly in first class, you'll never want to go back to coach." I winked at her.

The flight was fairly uneventful until we were about an hour outside of Honolulu. Bella had just woken from a little nap and was stretching her arms. I impulsively reached my hand out and rubbed along the small sliver of skin between her shirt and the waist of her skirt exposed by her reach. Instinctively she reached down and stilled my hand. At first she was playful, but her expression changed and I couldn't figure out what had brought about the shift in her demeanor.

"Edward?" She asked softly, threading her fingers through mine as she held my hand to her stomach.

"Yes, my love?"

"Did you ever...um...what I mean is you haven't...made any other deposits have you?"

"Deposits?" I went to the bank every week to deposit the payments I received from clients,I thought, when it suddenly dawned on me what _kind_ of deposits she was talking about. "Ohhhh, you mean _deposits._"

"Yeah, I just need to prepare myself if there's even the slightest chance that someone might come looking for you in the future." While her face was calm, I could hear the underlying worry or maybe it was closer to uncertainty, in her voice.

"No Bella, I only did that the one time, though whether or not they split up the sample, I don't know."

Bella blew out a long breath and finally began to relax, giving my hand a little squeeze. "Thank goodness," she smiled softly and continued, "Eric an I bought the complete sample, just in case we wanted to have another child, we wanted the same donor father as Ness. When Eric passed away I had Marcus destroy the remainder."

"Well that is certainly good news," I whispered into her ear as I lifted the armrest and tucked her closer into my side. I let my hand, which was still entwined with hers, draw lazy little circles over the soft skin of her stomach.

I enjoyed the feeling of her being so close to me and stealing kisses from her for the duration of the flight. After getting our bags and rental car we headed to our leased cottage on the North Shore. We had a 2 bedroom beach front bungalow with a lanai that let out right onto Sunset Beach.

We set the bags in the master bedroom and walked out the back door over a little patch of grass on to a beautiful white sandy beach. Aside from a few surfers packing up their gear, there was no one else on the beach.

"Oh my gosh Edward, this is beautiful! I didn't know that a sunset could look like this; there are so many colors."

It was nearing twilight and the sun was inching toward the horizon throwing the sky into the most vibrant oranges and pinks. It was only eclipsed by the beauty of my wife standing near the surf, her toes dug into the wet sand, and her long mahogany hair blowing gently around her face. I had noticed a hibiscus bush in the yard of our rental and couldn't resist picking one of the bright pink flowers, bringing it down to the beach with us.

I turned her slightly and placed a gentle kiss on her lips, slipping the flower behind her left ear, indicating that she was taken. I moved behind her and wrapped my arms around her drawing our bodies close together. "It's almost as lovely as you my dearest."

We moved a little further back on to the dry sand and sat down. She leaned back into my chest as I played with a tendril of her hair. Once again my right hand found it's way to her abdomen and I couldn't suppress the question that had been floating in the back of my mind since our discussion on the airplane.

"Bella do you want to have any more children?" She didn't answer right away, but covered my right hand with hers.

"I hadn't really thought about it. After Eric, I just didn't think I would ever..." She trailed off and became lost in her thoughts again. It drove me crazy that I couldn't just read her mind to know what she was thinking. Slowly she turned and knelt in between my legs, her hands folded in her lap. "Do you want to have more children?"

I had to smile, because I had thought about it. More than once. "You know Bella, as amazing as it was to find out that Nessie is my daughter, I still can't help but feel a little cheated that I didn't get to be a...full participant in her conception." I smirked when her eyes grew wide, and the blush rose on her cheeks. My hand had a mind of it's own as it reached up and stroked across her cheek.

"Is that a fact Mr. Cullen?" She said, shifting her position so that her legs were now wrapped around my waist and I was sitting cross-legged, my arms supporting her back as she leaned slightly away from me.

"It is a fact. I think that I would very much like to have another child with you Mrs. Cullen." I leaned forward and began peppering small kisses up her jaw line until I reached that soft spot just below her ear, where I began to vigorously nip and suck. The moan of pleasure that escaped her lips added fuel to my own fire.

"What are your thoughts on honeymoon babies? " She breathed into my ear. I stopped abruptly and pulled back to look at her mischievous smile.

"I think I'm all for honeymoon babies."

"It's been a while but I'm pretty sure I remember the recipe for baby making."

Bella crashed her lips to mine as I pulled her closer to me. It had been several weeks since we'd allowed ourselves to come anywhere close to this kind of intimacy and I was mentally doing a touchdown dance that there were no more restrictions. She seemed to be feeling the same enthusiasm in regards to our new matrimonial status as she started yanking at the hem of my polo shirt but her hands stilled and her kisses slowed.

"I love you Edward, but we're not doing this on the beach. Take me to bed, please."

"As you wish, my love."

***~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~***

**BPOV**

"He'll be right out Mrs. Cullen."

"Thank you Cecile."

I couldn't believe he was running late tonight of all nights. He knew we had to be on time. I stood near the nurses' station tapping the toe of my black satin kitten-heeled pump. Another ten minutes went by until the doors to the surgical unit opened widely and my handsome husband came jogging out.

"You are late," I thrust the garment bag containing his tuxedo into his hands.

"I know I'm sorry, but a seven year old was mauled by the family pit bull and nearly took half his face and scalp off. The repair was a lot more intricate than we first anticipated."

He was about to go into more detail than I cared to listen to so I held up my hand and said, "TMI hon, just get your monkey suit on. You know how important tonight is."

"I know, I know, I'll be out in a few. You know how I am."

Yes I did know how he could look absolutely perfect in a matter of fifteen minutes or less. We'd even timed him once and he was able to shower, and be ready to go in seven minutes flat. I hoped that tonight was one of those nights.

I sighed as I waited patiently for his emergence. Edward had become a well respected pediatric cranio-facial plastic surgeon. We ended up spending five years in residencies and fellowships in Phoenix; as hard as Edward tried to stay in Chicago, it just wasn't possible. Jasper and Alice moved into the apartment above _Tapas_, and ran the restaurant until we were able to return. I think the saddest part of that whole experience was watching Nessie and Jacob say goodbye. She cried her eyes out from Chicago to at least St. Louis and then off and on for the rest of the trip.

She and Jake kept in touch the whole time we were gone, and saw each other when ever we came back for short visits. We even let him come spend a few summer weekends in Phoenix, much to Edward's chagrin. Though they were always very closely supervised. It was hilarious and a little bit more than scary to watch Edward talking to Jake before his and Nessie's first real date. Unsurprisingly though, Jake held his own, and smiled that melt-your-heart smile, with a reassuring, "sure, sure," to Edward's threats. Jake was only a few inches shorter than Edward and seemed even more confident than he had as a little twelve year old boy, I had to admit to Nessie that Jake had become very good looking and his calm confidence only added to that.

I glanced up at the clock on the wall and sure enough nine minutes later, Edward was bustling back through the doors and sweeping me into a deep kiss.

We arrived at the theater with only a few minutes to spare. I was a bit breathless not only from having to hurry in a formal gown and heels, but also from the ride over. I think I nearly had a heart attack at least three different times.

We were ushered to the center section close to the front and, as graciously as possible, slid past the other audience members to our seats. Everyone was already there, and thank goodness the performance hadn't started yet.

"Where's Charlie?" Emmett asked as he leaned forward to shake Edward's hand.

"He's parking the car. That kid insists on driving everywhere we go now that he has his license," replied Edward.

"Oh so that's why you look like you're about to pass out," chuckled Rosalie. I gave her a crusty eye to which she just shrugged her shoulders. Emmett and Rosalie married about a year after Edward and I, and were still head over heels in love with each other. Emmett became a silent partner at The Cave once he'd "grown out of" his partying days. He also partnered with Big Daddy to expand his Private Eye business; the most appealing aspect for him was playing with "all the cool spy gadgets".

"Hey Bella, Big Daddy was telling me that he'd heard through the grapevine that James Beaufort was doing a ten year stretch in the state pen for forgery and fraud."

"Seriously? That idiot never learned did he? Did you ever check up on Victoria?"

"Ah, it's been a while Bells, but last I knew she was running some dive bar in Sturgis South Dakota, all tatted up and dating a Hell's Angel."

"Oh my gosh, is it bad that I can completely picture that?"

"She was scary, that's for sure."

"Speaking of scary," I turned to my elegant former head waitress and asked, "did you make anyone cry today Rose?"

"Bella I think the question is who didn't I make cry today. I swear, I don't know how some of these people managed to pass culinary school. They'll let anyone open a restaurant these days."

Rosalie finished her journalism degree and Alistair offered her a position with him to learn the ins and outs of becoming a food critic; he especially appreciated her biting sarcasm. She was now one of the most feared and respected critics in the greater Chicago area. Her palate was refined and her taste buds were well practiced. If she didn't like it, she didn't swallow. It was just that simple.

The house lights started to flicker and I craned around in my seat looking for my son. Just as the ushers were about to close the doors, he came hurrying down the aisle to our seats. He was the perfect blend of Edward and me. His hair was as unruly as Edward's but was dark brown like mine, and his eyes were a shade darker green than those of his father. You could see other bits of me here and there in his facial features, but he was built like his father and we were having a hard time keeping silly girls away from him. Unfortunately every now and then I could see a little bit of my clumsiness come through and I was set to permanent cringe-mode every time we went to one of his games.

Charlie slid into the seat next to me and flashed his dazzling grin in my direction. He was just as lethal as his father, especially in a suit, but I couldn't love him more. Charles Edward Cullen was born almost nine months to the day of our wedding and was indeed the successful product of our honeymoon. I often called him my favorite Hawaiian souvenir. It was amazing to be able to have the experience of raising him with Edward from the very start. And Ness took to being a big sister like a fish to water. She fussed over him so much. Charles loved Ness, but when she left for college I think he was a little relieved.

Edward and Nessie had become inseparable best friends; she was completely a daddy's girl. I was just so happy that he got to be able to experience all of the early milestones with Charlie. Even though he was living at the hospital for the majority of the first four years of Charlie's life, he was still with us; he still got to see those first shaky steps and the first time Charlie put his pants on all by himself, backwards.

Charlie picked up my hand and gave it a squeeze, while reaching across me to pass the car keys back to Edward's waiting hand.

Finally the house lights lowered and the spotlight shone down on the large black grand piano on stage.

**EPOV**

The people grumbled a bit as we squeezed past them into our seats. I tried to flash them an apologetic smile but I wasn't going to feel too bad about it; my baby was the star of the show tonight.

I took a seat next to Jacob, with Bella on my other side. Emmett piped up asking about Charlie, so I let him know that he was parking the car. I think Bella's knuckles would be white for the rest of our lives. He's not a bad driver, but he does have my genes after all.

"So how is she?" I turned to Jake.

"She's okay, a little nervous but not bad."

I nodded and leaned forward to look past Jake to where Jasper and Alice were sitting. "Hey Alice, Jasper. Glad you guys could make it!"

"Of course Edward, we wouldn't miss this night for the world! It's exciting to have another doctor in the family." She smiled and winked.

"So Jasper, how are things going over at _Nessie's_?"

Once my residency finished up, we moved back to Chicago and Bella resumed her position as Head Chef of _Tapas at Twilight. _Jasper was fine with returning to his former position, since their kitchen really didn't focus on the typical hierarchy and he was still getting paid the same as when he was Head Chef. Things changed though, when Bella got the itch to open another restaurant.

_Nessie's Bar-B-Q and Smokehouse_ opened a year after our return to Chicago, and Jasper was named Head Chef. The menu was full of authentic southern fare, but fancied up just a little. According to Jasper, it still tasted "just like Mama used to make", it just looked prettier.

"Everything is swell, really fantastic."

"That's really good to hear. Were you able to get everything set up at _Tapas_ for tonight?"

"Yeah, everything is all set. Zaffy's put together a nice spread, she also wants Bella to try her new spicy corn pudding before we put it on the menu. Eli was putting the finishing touches on the cake before we came here, so everything is ready."

I chuckled at the mention of Jasper's wildly eccentric Sous Chef Zafrina Campbell. I'd only met her a couple of times, but she was incredibly unique. She was Jamaican, had a thick mane of tightly spiraled curls, and her dark chocolate skin seemed to glow like burnished mahogany wood. But what made her unique were the headbands and chefs coats she would wear. They had brightly colored toucans and other tropical birds painted on the back of them. The headbands were equally bright with loud geometric patterns and colors. According to Jasper though, she was "the best dad-gum southern fried Sous Chef" he's ever worked with.

"I'm sure she's looking forward to it. How's business for you Alice?" I asked turning my attention to Bella's best friend.

"Business is great, I have a six month waiting list. And everyone of those places sooo need my help. I'm even in talks with The Food Network to possibly develop a show."

After Alice and Jasper got married, Alice went back to school and got a masters in interior design and has since been helping rehab restaurant interiors to maximize comfort, enjoyment, and caloric consumption. At least that's what her business cards say. Her work was even highlighted in _Interior Design Magazine_. And while that was a major feather in her cap, her pride and joy were her three kids.

She'd had them in quick succession not long after she finished her masters program. Alex was now 13, Livy was 12, and Madeline was 11. They were all amazing kids, but each so different in personality. Alex was soulful like his dad and very artsy like his mother; he drew and sketched all the time. Livy was the princess and loved shopping and fashion, as well as pageants. She just won the "Young Miss Twilight" pageant and wore the black and white sash every chance she got. Maddie, on the other hand, was the rough-n-tumble tomboy. She loved sports and getting down and dirty with the boys. Her focus right now was on cross-country mountain biking. She'd already won a couple of junior division races. It scared Alice to death to see her baby flying over the racecourse, but I'd already promised that if she ever munched it face first, I'd make sure she still had a killer mug. Jasper was only a little sad that none of them had taken an interest in cooking, but they all certainly had an interest in eating so it really worked out for everyone.

As the house lights began to signal a warning for audience members to take their seats, I could feel Bella twisting in her seat, undoubtedly looking for Charlie. The second best day of my life was the day I stood next to Bella in the delivery room and watched our son being born. Every moment had been a precious gift. I was glad that Bella had opted to stay home with the kids during my residency. She hated depleting my trust fund, but I assured her, that the principle wasn't being touched and that was what it was there for, to take care of our family. We were doing fine on the interest earnings alone and she was so frugal and resourceful, we had plenty saved up to put towards opening _Nessie's_.

Because she was home so much more she took up scrap booking and cataloged, photographed, and journaled about every single moment of Charlie's baby years. I tried to savor the time I got to spend with my son, but there were many nights when my lack of sleep from 36 hour shifts, had my brain on autopilot. To compensate, I poured over the scrapbooks that Bella worked so hard on. She even managed to include pictures of me in there so it wasn't obvious how absent I had been from his early years.

I looked back and saw that Charlie was loping down the aisle. _Thank goodness he made it in time. _I smiled as he took Bella's hand and gave it a little squeeze. I reached over to get the keys; there was no way this kid was driving home, once a night was enough. As I pulled my hand back across Bella's lap I picked up her hand and kissed her knuckles; just then the Master of Ceremonies came on to the stage to introduce our daughter.

He listed off her accomplishments beginning with a few national competitions she won during high school; he then detailed her successes at Julliard. She had completed her Bachelors and Masters in New York in only 5 years, but by then she was pregnant and wanted to be closer to her Mother. After little Sasha was born, she began working on her Doctorate of Musical Performance at Northwestern, and that was why we were here tonight.

"It is with great pleasure that I introduce Renesmee Black, Doctor of Music Performance."

Applause thundered throughout the auditorium and I had to fight the urge to stand up and start cheering. I saw out of the corner of my eye that Jake's fingers were itching to draw up to his mouth to make a loud wolf whistle. He clenched his hands into fists and resumed clapping with the rest of us. He had been married to Ness long enough to know that she wouldn't put up with any of his antics.

Jake. My son-in-law. That day five years ago was difficult for me, the day I had to give my baby girl away to her childhood sweetheart. Once they started dating seriously, Bella told me I just needed to get used to it, because they were as drawn to each other as we were. I'd had more than one _chat,_ with the boy over the course of the last seventeen years. Now that he had a daughter of his own, we were on the same page.

Ness walked gracefully on to the stage and took a small bow, acknowledging the applause. She took her seat at the piano, and went through the familiar shoulder roll and hand placement that she'd done since she was a little girl. She leaned into the small microphone set up next to the piano and announced her first piece.

"Grand Gallop Chromatique, by Liszt. This is my two and a half year old's favorite, so I dedicate this piece to her."

It always amazed me to watch how fast her fingers could fly across the keyboard. She danced up and down galloping through the piece, just as Liszt intended. She had a feel and connection to the music that I had never experienced. She could crawl inside of the composers mind and just knew how it should be performed. A roar of applause broke out; she was met with the same reaction after each and every selection. As her concert was winding down she turned on the bench to face the audience.

"As this evening closes, I would be remiss if I did not thank the two most influential people in my life. My mother, who sacrificed so much so that I could have the lessons I needed in my early years, and my father, for everything he's taught me and all of his encouragement. It is with great pleasure that I dedicate this final song to him, though I will need his assistance. Daddy would you join me?"

She reached her hand out to me, but I just sat there stunned. A spotlight fell on me and Bella nudged my arm and whispered, "Edward get on that stage with your daughter." I shook my head and tentatively stood up. Bella and Charlie shifted their legs out of the way, along with the other three people I had to get by, so that I could slide out of our row.

As I climbed the stairs, the crowd gave another wave of applause. I made my way over to my daughter who reached out and gave me a big hug. She whispered, "I love you Dad." We sat down on the bench together and Nessie turned back to the microphone.

"This is the very first song I ever played with my Father."

I could feel my chest tighten as I thought back to that day when Nessie and I were goofing off and nudging each other back and forth on the bench in my apartment. Nessie began plunking out the lower notes of _Heart and Soul_, and I nearly lost it right then and there. I joined in first with just one hand, but as the melody repeated I added my second hand and we began the playful back and forth that always accompanied our song. We ended the song with one last watery glance passing between us.

She kissed my cheek and said, "Thank you for everything."

"I love you baby girl."

We stood together and both took a bow. I returned to my seat and comforted a weepy Bella while the MC came back to the stage to close out the evening. We waited for Nessie at the steps of the stage while she was showered with praise from her professors and the other heads of the department. Several of Nessie's students were also gathered around in awe of her abilities. Bella was beaming with pride and rightfully so.

Charlie slunk through the groups of people milling about to reach his sister. He waited for a slight break in the conversation before tapping her shoulder. She spun around and grabbed him in a tight hug. He whispered something that got her laughing and shaking her head yes. They loved each other so much despite the age difference between them. We had raised an amazing couple of kids and I couldn't be prouder.

**BPOV**

"Are you sure they know where to meet us?" I couldn't wait to have everyone gathered together again. It was so infrequent that we were able to assemble everyone in the same place at the same time.

"Yes Love, they were just going to pick up Sasha from the sitter and then they'd meet us at the restaurant."

"You worry too much Mom. Everyone knows where your restaurant is. And I do mean _everyone._"

"Don't be sassy," I scolded, but had to smile. _Tapas _had been extremely successful and because we were constantly reinventing favorites and creating new recipes, we remained at the forefront of the Chicago dining scene.

"Edward, why are you taking the long way?" He looked over at me and smirked.

"Because I want to."

"Don't you be sassy either. I tell you he learned his sass from you!" I jerked my thumb toward the back seat where Charlie had his ear buds in listening to whatever music he was into at the moment. I never knew if it would be Bach or the latest teenage angst band, at least he listened to a variety.

"Ah but you love us for it."

"Yes, I suppose I do, but you'll never get me to admit it under oath."

We pulled up in front of the familiar building and Edward stepped out of the car quickly. I had long since grown accustomed to his compulsive need to open the door for me, so I waited patiently for him to skirt around the front of the car. At fifty-one, he wasn't quite as spry as he used to be, but he was still the sexiest man alive; even if he was a little softer in the middle and grayer on top.

Edward opened my door with a flourish and held his hand out to me, "My Lady?"

"Thank you sweetheart."

As we got closer to the door of _Tapas_, I caught a glimpse of someone moving in the window and my heart sank into my toes.

"Edward what have you done?" He flashed his outlawed dazzling grin and kissed me sweetly.

"I have done nothing Bella. But you didn't think we'd really forget, even if it was Nessie's shining moment."

Edward pushed open the door and guided me in with his hand gently on the small of my back. Charlie must have sprinted in without me even noticing because he was front and center with all the rest of my family.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY BELLA!"

"Oh you guys! You know I hate this, but I love you all. Now enough about me, lets hear it for Dr. Black, clinician to the classics, and surgeon for the symphonies!"

There were lots of cheers and hip hip hooray's for both Nessie and myself, but what made me happiest was to see both Carlisle and Esme, and Renee and Phil. I walked over to where they were sitting and gave Carlisle and Esme each a kiss on the cheek. Phil gave me a hug as I took a seat next to my Mother.

"How are you Mom?" I asked in a raised voice. Mom's hearing was rapidly deteriorating and she was so stubborn she refused to get hearing aids.

"I'm fine dear, how was the concert?"

"It was great mom, she was amazing," I stated. "How's the Euchre club?"

"Oh fine, we're going to a competition in a couple of weeks, I think we're gonna beat the pants off of those two bit spinsters from Indiana this time." After Phil retired from coaching, he and my Mother moved back to Chicago to be closer to us, just in time for Nessie's high school graduation. They lived in the burb's and kept busy doing all of the things that average retired people do. Mom still had a myriad of clubs and activities she liked to do and Phil tried to stay involved in community sports programs.

"How are you Phil? Is the Ump gig still working out?"

"You know how those t-ball parents are." He shot me a wink and nodded. Of course I knew because I had become one of those crazy, screaming parents who embarrass their children to death. Charlie started playing T-ball when he was five years old, just before we moved back to Chicago. Once we'd settled down and Edward had a job with fairly normal hours, he and Charlie began playing catch every chance they got.

By the time Charlie was 11 he was on a championship Little League team. As a junior, he was now being scouted by several universities, which scared and thrilled me at the same time. There were so many pitfalls for young athletes, but I trusted him. Yes he was still a teenage boy who made dumb decisions, but he knew he could always come to us for help.

Edward brought a plate of food over to me and chatted with Renee and Phil for a moment but was interrupted by the clinking of a glass.

Carlisle was standing next to the buffet table where Zafrina had laid out an amazing assortment of foods with the most delicious smells rolling off of it. He cleared his throat and began an impromptu speech.

"We have so many wonderful things to celebrate tonight. First of all, congratulations to Renesmee for achieving such amazing success. And secondly to Jacob, for his Emmy nomination for best cinematography in a non-fiction production."

While Nessie was getting her degree from Julliard, Jake had been hard at work earning a Bachelor's degree in Film and Television and Master in Filmmaking from NYU. He was adamant about telling important stories that were hard to hear. He had once said 'there are so many amazing people and things going on in the world that no one knows about, I can change that'. We were extremely proud of both him and Nessie.

"Here, here!" everyone shouted.

"And lastly we celebrate the twenty-first anniversary of Bella's twenty-ninth birthday, and the continuing success of her restaurants. Without _Tapas at Twilight_, our family would not be complete."

And to my horror, they all broke out in the Happy Birthday song. I ducked my head into Edward's embrace trying to hide the raging blush that _still_ flooded my cheeks.

Jacob brought out a large cake with an embarrassingly large bonfire atop it. They set the cake down on one of the smaller round tables that happened to be right in front of me. Rosalie stepped over and set down a small kitchen fire-extinguisher next to me and gave me a little smirk. I shook my head and blustered as hard as I could, but came nowhere near extinguishing all of the candles. There were a dozen or so that stayed lit, just mocking me in my middle age.

"Happy irfday Nama!" My little grandbaby Sasha called out as I blew out the last of the candles. She squirmed out of Ness's arms and toddled over to me, clutching her little pink bear, Foofy. No one really knows how the bear got the name, one day Sasha kept saying Foofy over and over and when she finally found the bear she gave it a love and held it out announcing, "Foofy!" with all the finality that a two year old could give.

"Thank you darling, you want some cake?"

"Num nums Nama pah-lease, paah-lease." She had a way of saying please that made it sound like she hadn't been fed in weeks, it was hilarious and irresistible.

"Here, you go play with Pop pop and Nama will get you some num nums." I walked closer to Edward while Sasha reached for her grandpa. "Here you go Pop pop."

"Hey sweetie pie, how are you?" He zoomed her away making airplane noises and flying her over his head. I loved watching Edward interact with Sasha; there was just a hint of his crooked smile in her baby face. Jacobs dominant Native American genes took over many of her other features. She had dark brown, almost black hair, dark brown eyes, and skin a shade or two lighter than Jacobs tanned appearance. But the smile, was all Edward and Nessie.

Once the cake was served to everyone I went looking for Esme; I had hardly had a moment to talk with her. She and Carlisle opted to stay in Washington once he retired, buying a large Victorian house in the middle of the woods that they could renovate and enjoy. Esme's garden rivaled those found in European châteaux; it was simply amazing. Carlisle was more the arm-chair-by-the-fire type and enjoyed the expansive library he had amassed over the years. They visited us often in Chicago, mostly during the early summers when the golfing was good. Though I could never really appreciate the sport, Edward and his father _loved_ golfing together. I guess it was a doctor thing, though Charlie was starting to take a shine to it as well.

"Happy birthday dear," Esme crooned softly in my ear. She knew I was never one for spectacles, and so kept her wishes private between us.

"Thank you Esme. How are things in Washington?"

"Wet as usual. Carlisle's arthritis acts up every now and then, but he handles it."

"And how about you?" I asked pointedly. Esme was six months post-op from a knee replacement surgery.

"You would think I'd still be struggling, but honestly, actually walking and not hobbling has been wonderful. I still do my exercises, but I'm pretty close to one hundred percent."

I nodded in acknowledgement and took another small bite of cake. The comfortable silence only lasted a moment before Esme said, "You know we're looking for a place here."

"Really? Does Edward know?"

"No, though I think Carlisle plans on telling him tonight. We just want to be closer to all our grandbabies and great-grandbabies. I still can't believe I'm a great grandma. And you know, once my house is done, I need another project to work on. We've looked at a few truly dilapidated masterpieces, and I can't wait to get started."

"Well, I'm sure Edward will be thrilled, and I for one, have a hard time accepting that I'm a grandma too and still have a 16 year old at home."

I glanced around the space looking for a glimpse of my husband. He caught my eye and gave me a wink mouthing the words "I love you". I then searched out Charlie, who looked like he was working on his third or fourth piece of cake. I just shook my head thinking about how that boy was a bottomless pit.

I saw Jessica huddled in a corner talking quietly with Zafrina so I excused myself from Esme's side and walked over to speak with two of the best employees I'd ever had.

"Bella! How did you like the corn pudding?" Zaffy asked in her characteristic Jamaican lilt.

"It was amazing! I want to see it on the menu at _Nessie's_ ASAP!"

"I'm glad you liked it, it was somethin' me mother used to make all de time."

I turned to Jessica; quiet, hard-working Jessie. Once we found out that we'd have to go to Phoenix for Edward's residency, I began to train Jess to take over some of the operational duties that I usually did, so that Jasper wouldn't have quite as much to handle while I was gone. She rose to the challenge and had proven her worth taking over inventory and supply ordering, and some of the H.R. duties for both restaurants.

"I'm so glad you were able to come tonight Jess, thanks for being here. How is Amanda?"

"She's doing really good, she's almost finished with college now." Jessica smiled and nodded, she was never one to hold a lengthy conversation and while we'd gotten much more comfortable around each other she just never acquired the gift of gab.

The clink of another glass filled the air and everyone's attention turned to my daughter. I looked over nervously to Edward, who just shrugged because he never knew what was going on, and mentally braced myself for what was going to be said.

"Thank you so much everyone for coming. I'm so glad I got to share this fantastic night with my Mother, and my Hubby," then she looked directly at me and I swallowed hard. "I know you are probably not going to open your gifts here in front of everyone, Mom, but my gift isn't wrapped so I wanted to give it to you now." Jake stepped up and wrapped one arm around Ness's shoulders while Sasha sat on his hip encircled by his other arm.

"I guess you could say this is a present for Dad too, but I just wanted everyone to know that Sasha is going to be a big sister! We're pregnant!"

I never, in my wildest imaginations, thought that following my dreams and opening my own restaurant would lead to such an amazing life.

I felt the strong familiar arms of my love wrap around me from behind. He placed a warm kiss beneath my ear causing a crop of goose bumps to erupt over my skin and a shiver to flash down my spine. He still had that effect on me and I would never get used to it.

"You know, every time I come in here I still see you wiggling your juicy bum in the air."

"I still see my shirtless handyman fixing the pipes." I cooed back into his ear.

"Happy birthday Nama. I love you."

"I love you too Pop pop. I love you too."

**

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A/N: So there's the end of our little cooking adventure with Bella and shirtless Handyward. Please take just a few seconds to REVIEW. And make sure you have me on author alert, so you don't miss any of the outtakes or NEW STORY notices. And yes there is a new story. Thanks again to everyone who has reviewed, and to those of you who just read, thank you as well, I hope you enjoyed it!**

**TEASER TEASER TEASER TEASER TEASER TEASER TEASER TEASER TEASER**

**This will be co-written by Melolabel (that's me) and BellaMadonna**

***** **_**THE MARKSMAN *****_

The blood dripped from his nose landing softly in the loose dirt below. He reached his bound hands up to plug one side of his nose and blew hard, expelling a bloody clot onto the ground. Though he was able to breath better, the throbbing in his battered head was nearly overwhelming. He was so close to passing out again he almost didn't notice the inverted position he was currently in.

**If you would like the EXTENDED TEASER, all you have to do is REVIEW! **

And here is the last recipe:

**Paula Dean's Corn Casserole (One of my favorites to make and it ain't low cal!)**

**Ingredients**

1 (15 1/4-ounce) can fiesta corn blend (corn, peppers, onions) or 1 bag of frozen southwest corn blend

1 (14 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn

1 Jalapeno, seeded and de-ribbed chopped into little pieces

1 (8-ounce) package corn muffin mix (recommended: Jiffy)

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

1 to 1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar

**Directions**

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, stir together the 2 cans of corn, corn muffin mix, sour cream, and melted butter. Pour into a greased 9 by 13-inch casserole dish. Bake for 45 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven and top with Cheddar. Return to oven for 5 to 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Let stand for at least 5 minutes and then serve warm.


	29. Outtake Man to Man

**A/N: Hello lovely readers! Here is one outtake, I hope you enjoy it. Please take a few moments to head over to the MYSTIC AWARDS, and vote for **_**Mr. Hottie (Edward) and Miss Sidekick (Renesmee) from Tapas at Twilight**__**. **_**The link is on my profile...please go vote! More info at the bottom. And as always reviews are so appreciated and loved!**

**Big thanks to Sweetthunder for all her beta skills!**

_**

* * *

Day after the Proposal at Dave n' Busters**_

**EPOV**

I was pacing around my apartment trying to put together in my head exactly what I was going to say. I was definitely new at this, being a father, and I wasn't exactly sure what the protocol was. I was surprised how fast the protectiveness for Nessie settled in on me. I was sure about how I felt though, and what needed to be made clear. Jacob was due to be knocking on my door any minute and my mind was swimming with all of the things I wanted to say to him, all the things I need to make sure he understood. He seemed like a decent enough kid, but no way was my ten year old daughter going to have a boyfriend.

All of the strange possessive feelings I'd been having about Renesmee now suddenly made all the sense in the world. My heart felt our connection long before we knew there was a biological one.

I must have run my fingers through my hair a hundred times, waiting for him to arrive. Bella would probably warn me that I'd go prematurely bald from that habit, but I just couldn't help it. It was one of the only things, besides Bella's touch, that even remotely soothed my nerves. Which at this point I'd worked into a fine frenzy.

I needed to get a grip. He was just a kid, puppy love—scratch that. It's not love. Twitterpation, or whatever you want to call it, didn't last long right? Right. That's was I was telling myself when the knock sounded on my door.

I took a few deep breaths and tried to mask my conflicting emotions. I had to put on the best "scary father" face I could, stern, show no fear, and all that.

When I opened the door, a smiling and all too relaxed looking Jacob Black stood just behind the threshold, hands shoved in his pockets. I took a moment to survey him a little more closely. His dark black hair was parted down the middle and brushed the tops of his shoulders. It was usually covered up with a black knit beanie, though today there was no skater hat and his hair was tucked behind his ears. He peered into the apartment nonchalantly as though he were expecting a pizza party. This kid could would be a worthy opponent, very calm.

His build was slight, though he was taller than average, and the natural set of his face just seemed to be happy, all the time. The only instance I've ever noticed him not smiling, was the day of his and Nessie's accident. I did have to remind myself that he had been involved too and held a fair amount of guilt for what happened.

"Come in Jacob." I said, stepping aside to let him pass.

"Thanks Mr. Cullen." He responded coolly as he plopped down on the couch in my living room.

I narrowed my eyes just a little but took a deep breath and quickly rearranged my features into something less confrontational. _He's her friend. He helped save the day. Don't go overboard._

"So how are you doing Jacob with recovering from the accident? Is everything going okay?"

"Sure sure, I felt fine the next day," he shrugged. He seemed a little confused, probably thinking I had called him over just to ask about that. He looked like he was about to stand up when I leaned in a little closer.

I took a deep breath and decided just to dive into the heart of the matter. "Jacob, we need to discuss some things that were said at the hospital."

I enjoyed the fact, maybe a little too much, that his face paled just a bit and he seemed much less comfortable than before.

"Uh, okay."

I had to strike while the iron was hot. "What are your intentions with my daughter?"

"I...um...I'm her boyfriend."

"Nessie does not have a boyfriend." He started to speak, protest almost, but I put my finger up quieting whatever he was going to say. "You are her friend, and that is fine, but you are both too young to be anything other than that."

"Sure, sure." The tone of his voice was markedly less cheerful than usual and I felt a twinge of guilt, but then I thought about Jacob kissing my daughter and all feelings of guilt or sympathy were erased from my mind. No one would be good enough for my little girl.

"Just so we're straight, you don't go into her room, she doesn't go into yours, no being alone with each other for long periods of time, and no kissing. Got it? I've already spoken with your Dad about this and he agrees, so I don't want you to think this only applies when I'm around. I'll judge your character on what you guys do when I'm not around just as much as what you do in front of me."

He let out a heavy sigh and responded, "yes sir." That was the first time I'd ever heard him address anyone so formally. I was pleased to have established an authoritative position in this dynamic. Feeling satisfied that I'd gotten my point across I stood up and extended my hand to the boy.

"You're a good kid Jacob, enjoy being a kid." He stood and shook my hand exerting as much force as his eleven year old hand could. I nodded once and walked him out the door.

Hopefully he got the message loud and clear.

_**The night of Jacob and Renesmee's first real date**_

**Renesmee POV**

FINALLY! It was the weekend of my sixteenth birthday and Jacob had come to Phoenix to celebrate with us. Even though we would be moving back to Chicago at the end of the year, I didn't want to wait that long to have my first real date. I begged mom, because I knew there was no amount of big-sad-eye begging that would budge my dad on this issue, who then convinced him to let Jacob fly down. It's not like it was the first time he'd visited so I couldn't understand what dad's problem was.

Daddy had been acting all weird and paranoid the whole day and I was worried he was going to say something to Jake on the way home from the airport. Fortunately he managed to get us home without breaking the steering wheel in half, though his fingers were curled around it so tightly there are probably dents.

I was currently flipped upside down blow drying my long curly hair with the diffuser, examining my brand new drivers license as it lay on the counter of the bathroom. At least it was a decent picture and not some horrible mugshot making me look like a criminal.

Once I started getting light headed from being flipped over in the hot bathroom forever I decided my hair was dry enough and I put the blowdryer away and reached for my bottle hair spray. A few pumps in my slightly damp hair and the curls would stay perfect without getting crunchy looking. I had pretty much spent the better part of what I call my "sans J" years figuring out my hair. I couldn't have cared less about the boys in Phoenix and my hair had pretty much become it's own entity. My mom always told me that if I didn't tell it who's boss now, it would control me forever. On the rare days when it rained I could barely fit my fro through a doorway. I pumped the hairspray a few times and rolled my head around in the cloud of mist, just wanting to set the curls, but something wasn't right. I pumped it a few more times directly into my hand then groaned.

"MOM! Charlie dumped my hairspray out and filled it with water. AGAIN!"

I stomped into the hallway and into my parents bedroom. I heard a noise in the bathroom and figured she was in there. I pushed opened the door, startling my sneaky little "bother" who had the little pump bottle of hand soap opened and filling with water in the sink.

"CHARLIE!" He dropped the bottle into the sink, eyes wide and lower lip trembling a little. "Did you mess up my spray?" I held up the hairspray bottle.

He shook his head back and forth.

"Charlie? Did you mess up my spray again?" I advanced on him but he quickly darted around me and out the bathroom door screaming the whole way.

"Jesus said not to hurt little boys!!!! MOMMY! Nessie's getting me!!!"

I sighed and borrowed my mother's hairspray, which thankfully Charlie had not gotten to yet. I swear that boy was some kind of an evil genius. I don't know what strange conspiracy to overtake the world he was coming up with in his twisted little brain, but I knew it was brewing, and for reasons understandable only to a 4 year old, it involved spray bottles of water everywhere. The kid had an obsession with filling bottles full of water, but not just any bottles. No they had to be bottles of soap or hairspray or shampoo. He even stole the mustard bottle out of the fridge and filled that with water too.

As I was walking back to my room to finish getting ready my mom came walking up the stairs with a reluctant Charlie in tow. "Charlie, tell Ness you're sorry." She nudged him forward and he wrapped his arms around my legs.

"I'm sorry 'Nesmee, I love you."

"I love you too Charlie. You're lucky you're cute. Don't touch my spray again please, it's not okay."

My mom opened the linen closet in the hallway and pulled out another bottle of hairspray for me. We kept at least six extra in there, for this exact reason. The kid was a little monster. A cute one, but a monster none the less.

"Jake's waiting downstairs in the living room honey. I wouldn't leave him alone for too long with your father. Your dad's got that look in his eye." She winked and headed back downstairs.

_Crap._ I hurried through the rest of my make-up routine and gave myself a quick once over in the full length mirror on the back of my door. Satisfied with the finished product, I tip-toed down the stairs. I could hear conversation in the living room and felt my stomach twist up in knots. I waited at the bottom stair just behind the wall where I could hear the conversation but not be seen. Though I couldn't help but peek. Jake had gone through an insane growth spurt and was now as tall as daddy was, and his muscles had definitely started filling out in a very nice way.

"You know what this is Jacob?"

"Yes sir."

"I've taken the liberty of having your name etched onto the side of it."

"Uh, okay."

"If Renesmee is not returned in the _exact_ same condition she leaves this house, by eleven o'clock mind you, I'll be coming to find you with this and I'll have her Grampa Charlie's shotgun with me."

At those words I flew around the corner into the living room and with wide, incredulous eyes saw that Jake was holding a 12 gauge shotgun shell in the palm of his hand.

"DAD! What on earth?" He ran his hand through his hair nervously as Jake just looked at me as if to say 'so?'. I shook my head and walked up next to Jake, taking his hand in mine. I saw my dad stiffen up a little but he didn't say anything. Jake gave my hand a little squeeze.

"Mr. Cullen, you have nothing to worry about. Renesmee will be perfectly safe with me, and I can guarantee you won't need this," he tossed the shell in his hand a few times before slipping it into the pocket of his jeans.

"Be good you two," my mom said giving both of us a hug.

I walked over to give my dad a little hug and whispered in his ear, "Dad, don't worry, I'll never stop loving you. And really, were just going to Dave & Busters." He pulled back looking shocked, his mouth working but no sound coming out.. I just winked, grabbed Jake's hand, and ran us out the door.

By ten fifty five, we were back on the doorstep of my parents house. It was kind of silly, since Jake was staying in the downstairs guest room, but there we were on the porch. I went to open the door with my house key, but Jake stopped me.

"Ness, I had a really good time tonight." He gently held my left hand, and stroked my cheek with his other.

"I did too Jake and I'm so sorry about my Dad and his crazy whatever it was."

He chuckled softly and said, "Don't worry; it's not the first time."

"What!?"

"Yeah, we had a talk not too long after the accident at the lake." I thought back those few years ago and now everything made sense. All of Jake's weird behavior and unwillingness for us to ever just hang out by ourselves. "He told me not to kiss you."

"Oh my gosh!" I shook my head fuming just a little bit, when a wicked thought popped into my head. I was almost positive that he was spying on us, if not by a window, then probably by the peephole on the door. "Well, I'm pretty sure that rule doesn't apply anymore."

Jake grinned widely and pulled me closer to him. "I've been waiting for five years to hear that."

Slowly he dipped his head down, his eyes holding mine for a brief moment before they closed. As mine closed, the feel of his warm soft lips pressing against my own overwhelmed my senses. It was warm and soft and sweet and the perfect first kiss. My hand reached up and twisted a lock of his long hair in my fingers and my left foot popped off the ground as I reached up to meet his lips again.

I heard struggling and a thud, like something had gotten knocked off one of the end tables. I smiled at Jake and reached up on my toes for one more kiss.

As I opened the door, I saw a pile of books that usually sat on the sideboard, scattered on the floor while my mother dragged my father away by the sleeve of his shirt, his eyes a little bit wild. The slam of another door and the soft footfalls of my mother coming back down the hall brought me out of my Jacob induced trance.

"Did you kids have fun at the putt-putt?"

"Yes, mom, it was wonderful."

"You shouldn't have teased your dad about Dave & Busters, he was a mess all night. Anyways, I'm glad you had a good time. House rules, okay?" I heard the soft tinkling of the piano keys and realized that daddy was working out his issues on the ivories. "I'll take care of him. One more kiss then off to your own rooms okay?" she whispered.

"Okay mom. I love you."

"I love you too sweetheart."

_**Day of Renesmee and Jacobs Wedding**_

**EPOV**

My baby girl was getting married. I was choked up and overcome with emotion. She'd only been mine for such a short time, and now she would be _his._ Even though he'd been a fixture in our lives for some time now, it was still hard to admit that after today, she would belong to another man.

They'd both been respectful of the rules Bella and I laid out, though Bella had to temper my raging need to smother Ness in over protectiveness on more than one occasion. And it became painfully evident that he loved her and felt just as protective of her as I did, almost. At least he had realized that the way to get in good with the family is to just follow the rules and his life was a whole lot simpler, and I didn't have to get the shotgun out as much as I was expecting too.

The women were getting ready at our home while the men were getting ready at my parents hotel. It was time for another talk. Though this one would be much shorter than all the others.

"Jacob, do you have a minute?" I asked approaching my future son-in-law. He was attempting to straighten out his tie and I could tell his hands were shaking. He was now a good three or four inches taller than I was and considerably more bulky. I have no idea what Billy fed him growing up, but he had become a hulk of a man with a heart of gold.

He'd long ago proven himself to me, and while I knew he still wasn't worthy of my baby girl, he was the man she wanted. Jacob dropped the tie and turned away from the mirror to look at me. I walked out onto the balcony of the hotel room and leaned up against the rail looking out over the city scape.

I sensed more than saw when he joined me. Taking a deep breath I started speaking, my voice filled with unwanted emotion. "She's my baby girl Jacob," I turned to look at him, curing the feeling of the tears filling up the corners of my eyes. He nodded, still not saying anything. "Take care of her."

"I will. I promise you that sir."

"Enough with the 'sir' business. You can call me dad or Edward or whatever you want, except old man."

He was uncharacteristically subdued. I expected a wisecrack or a joke. Not the extended hand and familiar watery look on his features that mirrored my own. I took his hand and wrapped my free arm around his back, both of us thumping a couple of times. "Thanks...dad. She's my whole world."

As well pulled away from each other, I reached up and fixed his tie for him and clapped him on the shoulder one more time. "Come on, it's just about time."

_**The day Sasha was born**_

**Jacob's POV**

Ness was exhausted. We all were. After twenty hours of labor and two epidurals, Sasha Marie Black was wrapped tightly in a little white and pink striped blanket, snuggled safely in my arms.

When the doctor announced, "It's a girl," my head began to swim and I felt a little like I had been hit by a train. We'd wanted to find out what Nessie was having, but the little stinker was never in the right position to get a good look on ultrasound. Ness was sure it was boy, I wanted a boy, so we were both shocked at the announcement that our new little baby was a girl.

The nurse cleaned up the last of the delivery mess and closed the door softly leaving us in the quiet of the dimly lit hospital room. I stared down at the impossibly tiny baby wrapped up like a burrito in my arms, transfixed and rendered completely helpless.

A soft knock on the door roused me from my thoughts. I stood up and walked quietly to the door and opened it to find my in-laws. We joked about them being my "out-laws", but they'd been a huge help to both of us. Especially once my dad's diabetes got so bad he had to start using a wheel chair. They'd found a handicap accessible place for him to stay. My father-in-law even helped make some modifications to the house to make it more accessible for my dad.

Edward had been tough on me, but I was quickly beginning to understand why. Even though he'd come into her life later than usual, he'd loved Ness from almost the very beginning. Of course I wasn't good enough for his daughter. Especially not when I was a cocky punk teenager. I'd hung on to the shotgun shell he'd given me when I was seventeen, but I think I was ready to give it back to him. As I looked down at this tiny angel in my arms I knew I wouldn't be nearly as controlled as Edward had been if a kid like me had shown up calling his daughter my girlfriend.

Bella brought in a sandwich and drink setting it on the table. "That's for you Jake. BLT with avocado, and it's the special peppered maple bacon you like so much." I groaned at the thought. I hadn't had anything to eat since Ness went into labor.

"Would you mind if I held her?" Edward asked.

"Not at all," I responded with a smile. I gently passed her into the arms of her pop-pop and gratefully dug in to the sandwich. Ness was still sound asleep even though Bella was stroking her forehead and whispering how proud she was of her daughter.

Once I was finished with my meal, I wiped my mouth and looked up at my father-in-law. He glanced in my direction and some unspoken conversation passed between us. We'd had so many of these over the years that words were now superfluous. I nodded my head and he responded in kind. We were good.

When we returned home from the hospital there was a long gift box wrapped up in bright paper. I assumed it was something for Sasha, but was surprised to see that it was my name on the tag. I hastily unwrapped it and opened the case inside, smiling almost immediately. I slowly ran my hand down the barrel of Grandpa Charlie's shotgun. The card inside read:

_Now you understand_

_I hope you never have to use it._

_Love Dad_

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A/N: So how cute was that? The M rated honeymoon outtake is posted as a separate story. So if you won't get an alert for it from the **_**Tapas at Twilight **_**Story, you have to have me on author alert to get notices of new stories.**

**The honeymoon is M rated...so to my wonderful younger readers, IF YOU ARE NOT OLD ENOUGH TO VOTE (ie:18) PLEASE DON'T READ IT. I wouldn't want Nessie reading it, and I wouldn't want my own teenage children reading it. There's nothing in there that affects how the story turned out.**


	30. New Story

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**The First Chapter of "The Marksman" has been posted. Please enjoy a deliciously gritty gunslinging cowboy Edward aka: Westward.**

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**


	31. Nominated

_**Tapas at Twilight**_ has been nominated for "**BEST ALL HUMAN**" story at the Silent Tear Awards. It would mean the world to me

if you popped on over there and voted for it! Thanks so much for all your support and reviews!

The link is on my profile or you can copy and paste this address into your browser.

**THANKS SO MUCH FOR READING!**

http://silent-tear-awards(dot)webs(dot)com/vote(dot)htm

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**Please go check out "The Marksman" and enjoy a deliciously gritty, gunslinging cowboy Edward aka: Westward.**

**~*~  
**


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